SPARKING CREATIVITY in NEW YORK NANO GIRL Making Science Fun

ALUMNI PROFILE

The University of Auckland Alumni magazine | Spring 2014

SPARKING CREATIVITY IN NEW YORK NANO GIRL Making science fun

CHARTER SCHOOLS Are they working?

Ingenio / Spring 2014 / 1 ALUMNI PROFILE

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Contents Ingenio – The University of Auckland Letters 6 alumni magazine 12 News 6 Spring 2014 Features ISSN 1176-211X Creative thinking 8 Editor: Judy Wilford Contributing editors: Helen Borne, Tess Redgrave Making serious science fun 10 Art Direction: Justin Marshall Lest we forget 22 Advertising manager: Don Wilson Proofreading: Treena Brown, Samantha Perry Foreign charters investigated 24 14

Editorial contact details Sir John Hood 26 Ingenio Communications and Marketing A place of safety 28 The University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Let’s dance 36 Auckland 1142, New Zealand Level 10, Fisher Building 18 Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland Regular sections Telephone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 83257 Facsimile: +64 9 373 7047 Poem by alumnus 7 26 Email: [email protected] www.auckland.ac.nz/ingenio Opinion: Riley Elliot 12 Audited by www.abc.org.nz Letter from New York 14 How alumni keep in touch To ensure that you continue to receive Ingenio, Academic insights 15 and to subscribe to @auckland, the University’s email newsletter for alumni and Taking issue 16 friends, please update your details at: www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/update Short story competition 18 Alumni Relations Office The University of Auckland Photo gallery 20 28 19A Princes Street, Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142, New Zealand Alumni calendar 30 Telephone: +64 9 923 4653 Email: [email protected] Alumni achievers 32 www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz Development news 34 Copyright Articles reflect personal opinions and are not Art 37 those of the University of Auckland. No parts of this publication may be reproduced without prior Books, films, recordings 38 consent of the University of Auckland. All rights reserved. ©The University of Auckland 2014

Cover photo Kevin Roberts and Kate Newby at the launch of the University of Auckland's Creative Thinking Research Fund in New York. Ingenio website Photo by Zander Taketomo Check out our website www.ingenio-magazine.com If you’re as happy to read Ingenio online as in print, we’ll stop sending you the magazine and instead you’ll receive an email each time the website is refreshed with the latest Ingenio content. You can search articles, browse by topic, view videos and leave comments on the Ingenio website.

Photos: Godfry Boehnke, John McDermott, Sam Hartnett, Zander Taketomo, Sara Aprea EDITORIAL

“Among New Zealand tertiary institutions, the University of Auckland is the most highly-ranked international Equal to the best research university”

I was recently at Melbourne University, one of the top universities in Australia. It has a slightly larger number of students than the University of Auckland, a budget nearly twice ours, and a ranking consistently in the top 50 in the world. Melbourne has, as part of its philanthropic campaign, expressed the belief that “Australia deserves a university equal to the best in the world”. Most people would agree that New Zealand also deserves a world-leading university, but many would do so without asking themselves exactly why. The need to out-do the Aussies doesn’t seem quite enough, though it is a good start! The real reason for being ambitious about the state of our universities is that the growth of any society requires the creation of knowledge, a process we call research; and of course most new ideas into being and creating great top academics and to which the University itself research is conducted by universities or by opportunities for our country. Since that is just contributes significantly. people who come from universities. Research the kind of environment that will keep these • The strongest alumni and philanthropic base universities are therefore unique institutions that people in the University, the ideas they create in New Zealand, and a willingness to defend our need to be valued accordingly. are more likely to remain connected to our autonomy. So, we might ask ourselves, what does it take country, creating long-term benefits for social All these things mean that we have a strong to ensure that New Zealand has and continues and economic development and employment. base on which to stand, and, though it is clear to have a university that is genuinely world Among New Zealand tertiary institutions, the to all of us that much more needs to be done, class? University of Auckland is the most highly-ranked we can be very proud of what the University of The recipe, not surprisingly, is quite simple. international research university, as shown Auckland has achieved in its 130 years. The first essential is top academics. These are once again in the latest QS World University I would like to thank you all for the support the people who create the bold new ideas to Rankings, released in September. you are giving in so many ways to help us change society for the better. Many are home- We are also in the best position to provide maintain and advance our standing as a leading grown but others are attracted from overseas, for New Zealand a top research university. This research university, and to contribute to the contributing to New Zealand’s brain gain. is because we have a number of advantages, welfare of our country. The next imperative is a large number of including: very able students. Research universities should • One-third of the top academic researchers in be constantly challenging the status quo, and the entire country. this is a particular characteristic of the vibrant • The highest student entry standards in the and innovative thinking associated with young country and some of the highest in Australasia. people. • The largest graduate school in New Zealand. Next come the resources that enable these • The most successful research people to do what they do best — to develop commercialisation company (Auckland Professor Stuart McCutcheon and exchange new ideas, to run their research UniServices Ltd) in Australasia. University Vice-Chancellor programmes, and to travel so that they may • The highest degree of connectivity through engage with colleagues in similar leading our international students, collaborators and institutions overseas. networks. The final requirement is a campus • The advantage of being in New Zealand’s environment that encourages these highly- largest, most international and most business- accomplished academics and researchers oriented city, one that has the kind of cultural to communicate and collaborate, bringing environment that is so important for attracting

Ingenio / Spring 2014 / 5 Government and institutions show to its citizens enjoyed, and was encouraged by, the interviews LETTERS every day. The University of Auckland amongst with Professor Mänuka Hēnare [and plans to other bodies deserves great credit for developing increase native-forest cover in Te Tai Tokerau] this culture. and with Elise Sadler [with her wise observations At the same time New Zealand can blunt on the value of rote learning in memory allegations of race biases in employment by development]. adopting the Indian system of written exams Keep up the good work! for a large percentage of government jobs and Yours sincerely, Dennis Gordon even promotions. Your people can possibly also (BSc Zoology, 1966; MSc Zoology 1969) learn from our vast experience in the area of affirmative action for classes deemed backward. LETTER FROM THE EDITOR You cannot go wrong in both parts of such an Dear readers, endeavour with experts like Elise around. The “Letters” section of Ingenio is well-read and You might be surprised if you find out how appreciated by readers. I would therefore like to often the phrase “institutionalised racism” is invite you to write in and give your perspective, used by the British association of physicians of and encourage input from other readers, not only Indian origin — in the context of HR policies of the about the issues covered in the magazine but also STAND-OUT STORIES National Health Service of a country which is very about others you see as relevant or interesting I am reading the latest issue of our alumni similar to yours culturally. to alumni. magazine, Ingenio. The two stand-out stories Faithfully, Manish Udar These could focus on intellectual, political, in this issue are about New Zealand kids and (MArch(Hons) 2001) cultural or educational issues. All letters will Indian kids respectively, if you ask me. I am very be considered for publication and those most happy to read that Elise Sadler saw the potential INSPIRATIONAL CONTENT relevant and readable will be published. in our poorer children and helped them to Many thanks for your latest Ingenio. I find every I look forward to hearing from you about issues develop it to the fullest during her time in one of issue has much that is genuinely inspirational, of interest. our most dynamic states. which, in a world of media-accentuated Yours sincerely, Judy Wilford Our Indian politicians can learn a lot from negatives, is a blessed relief. the great respect which the New Zealand In particular, in this latest autumn issue, I

former Dean of Law, delivered an eloquent perspective”. Enrolments will be taken up to 30 eulogy, describing His Excellency as “universally November. admired for selflessly delivering [a special kind of] The second of the University’s MOOCs is titled leadership”. “Achieving with integrity: Values, skills, action”. Mr Ban’s lecture was held in the Fisher & Dr Jason Stephens from the Faculty of Education Paykel Auditorium and streamed by video link is the lead educator for this four-week MOOC, to adjacent lecture theatres, with many more which aims to help learners, especially university watching the live streaming from the University’s students, understand the meaning of academic home page. integrity and develop the skills and values they Mr Ban expressed gratitude for New Zealand’s need to avoid academic dishonesty. This course engagement with the United Nations, right back began on 10 November and will run again in to one of its earliest engagements in1950 in his February, March, July and August. own country, Korea. “I was just six years old when For more information about the MOOCs, see I had to flee the fighting around my village. I www.moocs.ac.nz was too young to understand the term ‘collective Simon Nelson, FutureLearn CEO, visited the security’ in my mind — but in my heart I knew the University last year and presented an overview world was by our side. The United Nations was a of the MOOC site to academic and professional beacon of hope.” staff. FutureLearn is a private company wholly news owned by the Open University and founded late FIRST MOOCS last year. By June this year it had partnered with HONORARY DOCTORATE FOR The University of Auckland, in partnership with 36 UK and international universities as well as BAN KI-MOON the UK’s FutureLearn, has launched its first two institutions such as the British Council, British On 3 September His Excellency, Mr Ban Ki- Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Library, the British Museum and the National moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, The first, an eight-week course titled “Data to Film and Television School. received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree Insight: An introduction to data analysis,” teaches On its platform are many MOOCs, from from the University of Auckland, and afterwards students how to find the stories told by statistical maritime archaeology and web science to delivered a public lecture to nearly 3,000 data. electrical engineering and Irish history. The people. Professor Chris Wild from the University’s courses are accessible on iPads, tablets, The conferral ceremony at the Fale Pasifika Department of Statistics says this MOOC gives smartphones, laptops and PCs, and involve was overseen by the University’s Pro-Chancellor “a great opportunity to gain free knowledge in watching videos, reading articles, taking part Peter Kiely (pictured above with Ban Ki-moon). fundamental concepts and practical skills” and in discussion forums and doing quizzes or University Public Orator, Professor Paul Rishworth, “to experience the world of statistics from a fresh submitting short essays online.

6 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 SHORT STORY COMPETITION mokopuna. He is also the father of Nicki Judkins, Winner of this year’s competition was alumna who won last year’s short story competition. Trisha Hanifin (BA 1993), with her story “Me and Bobby McGee”. Read the story and see the full ARTS ON THE MOVE coverage on pages 18-19. The Faculty of Arts office has moved to the three Runner-up was alumnus Dr Greg Judkins (BSc, refurbished and restored Merchant houses at MBChb, DipObst), whose story was “Makalofi”, 12, 14, and 16 Symonds Street (see right). described on page 19. Greg is a General To take a video tour of the newly restored Practitioner who has been working in South Arts houses, see http://goo.gl/Cz41NB Auckland for over 30 years, and is also a medical educator. He is a keen cyclist, loves poetry and short fiction, and being a grandfather to six

Poem by an alumnus

Lveo poem

Houses are likened to shoeboxes but shoeboxes are not likened to houses. A car is likened to a heap but a heap is not likened to a car. A child is a terror but terror is not a child. A business might be a sinking ship but a sinking ship is no business. A bedroom is a dog’s breakfast but a dog’s breakfast is not a bedroom. A bad review might be a raspberry but a raspberry is not a bad review. A haircut is likened to a disaster but a disaster is not a haircut. Books can be turkeys but turkeys are never books. A holiday might be a riot but a riot is not a holiday. A garden might become a headache but a headache is not a garden. I dream about you but you are not a dream.

Gregory O’Brien

Poem above and image (left) from Beauties of the Octagonal Pool, Auckland University Press. Reprinted with permission.

Ingenio / Autumn 2014 / 7 “He has been a restless and challenging says Centre Director, Distinguished Professor creative force across the world for 50 years, Richard Faull, who is renowned globally for his The Times writing anthemic songs that span generations. work on brain cell regeneration. “Creativity He is also the first rock musician voted into the is learning to think differently, learning to try American Academy of Arts and Letters. And he things, learning to be risky. Creativity has no They Are has been a frequent visitor to New Zealand to bounds.” perform concerts since 1978.” From there the Creative Thinking Project A-Changin’ So just what is this project that Bob Dylan formed the theme for University alumni events. has agreed to lend his name to? At the same time partnerships were developed STORY HELEN BORNE The answer has its genesis in a conversation with the Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland War back in 2011 between University Development Memorial Museum, Creative Waikato, Te Papa, Manager Amy Malcolm and Rob Gardiner Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Puke Ariki and The University has formed an ONZM, the founding trustee of the Chartwell Saatchi & Saatchi. The Fernyhough Visual Arts unlikely alliance with one of the Trust, which holds a significant Australian and and Education Trust joined the Chartwell Trust most influential creative icons to New Zealand contemporary art collection. as a founding donor. “Rob had a vision for how creativity could A Creative Fellows series has since come out of the 60s. change the world,” recalls Amy. “We played been established to connect with world- “Someone who epitomises creativity, who is with this idea and discussed how the University leading thinkers around the globe. The first visionary and never lost his sense of childhood could help make this happen.” appointed was Professor Nancy Andreasen, and play… a person of profound influence on From there the University’s Creative Thinking who visited New Zealand earlier this year. culture…” Project was born. It was based on four key Professor Andreasen, who is Director of the By the time the announcement was made principles: that we can all find our creative Neuroimaging Research Center and Mental by Kevin Roberts, Worldwide CEO of Saatchi & strengths; that creativity fosters achievement Health Clinical Research Center at the Saatchi and Honorary Professor of Innovation and cognitive development; that creativity University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and Creativity at the University (pictured provides a sense of enjoyment and drive was awarded the President's National Medal on the cover), many of the people he was throughout our lives; and that creativity is of Science in 2000 for her pioneering work addressing had guessed: Bob Dylan was to be increasingly important as we move from an the inaugural Creative Laureate and Founding Information Age to a Conceptual Age. Patron of the University of Auckland’s Creative “We wanted to start a conversation about Thinking Research Fund, launched at this New the importance of creativity,” says Amy. York event on 9 October. “We understood that it had to be over time, There was a sense that, like the line from with a range of different people from across the singer’s famous protest song, times were disciplines. It would need a strong research indeed changing. component to show the value of creativity Bob Dylan's touring schedule meant he and deepen our understanding of the creative could not be at the event in person but, by process.” endorsing it with his name, he has given an In 2013 the Auckland Brain Day, spear- important boost to a unique University project headed by the University’s Centre for Brain that is now reaching out around the globe. Research, became the ideal platform for the “As one of the most creative voices of our Creative Thinking Project to engage with time, Bob Dylan inspires the imagination,” says the public. “Wherever you have the human Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon. mind there are opportunities for creativity,”

ABOVE: Guests at the New York event added their ideas about creativity to a glass wall at the Saatchi & Saatchi offices. ALUMNI PROFILE

in imaging technologies and the study of cognitive processes such as memory and creativity. University Emeritus Professor of Psychology Michael Corballis was the second Creative Fellow and Professor Janis Jefferies, an artist, writer and curator from Goldsmiths, University of London, will be the third when she visits in November.

Creativity is learning to think differently, learning to try things, learning to Inaugural Creative Fellow Professor Nancy Andreasen be risky. Creativity has no bounds routine, that gets you out of your rut and gives Dr Craig Nevill-Manning, a New Zealander Research proposals are also being you new challenges, is likely to enhance your who is Engineering Director for Google; and developed. Some of New Zealand’s leading creativity,” says Nancy Andreasen. American artist Clifford Ross. Together, they creative thinkers — artists, scientists, innovative With this sentiment in mind, the University’s offered insights from arts, science, academia corporate leaders — will be invited to become Creative Thinking Project took a bold leap and the workplace on the complexities and Living Creative Brain Donors with functional forward this year and decided to launch its new possibilities of creativity. Kate Newby (pictured magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) readings of international fundraising initiative in New York. on the cover), a New York-based alumna their brains recorded in collaboration with the Kevin Roberts was happy to host the event at and the winner of the 2012 Walters Prize for his company’s headquarters in the Big Apple. an outstanding work of contemporary New Chair of the US Friends of the University of Zealand art, exhibited at the event. Auckland, Dr Peter Rajsingh (see his Letter “What was really striking about the event from New York on page 14) and Director of was people’s engagement and enthusiasm for Saatchi & Saatchi Contemporary Art Projects, the concept behind this visionary project,” Peter Jane Sutherland, led an approach to invite Bob says. “There was amazing energy in the room, Dylan to be Patron. even by New York standards!” “There was a fair bit of dialogue back and The Creative Thinking Research Fund will forth [with Dylan’s manager],” says Peter. bring together philanthropists with scientists, “Bob Dylan was often away on tour and, for philosophers, educators and artists to form a a time, it seemed things were going nowhere. global community of creative change agents. Then everyone was ecstatic when he gave “From the schoolroom to the boardroom the go ahead. Creativity is something Dylan creative thinking drives success,” says Professor really cares about. He’s often quoted speaking Jenny Dixon, Chair of the Creative Thinking about what creativity means to him and how Project and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Strategic important it is to keep creativity alive.” Engagement) of the University of Auckland. The New York event marked the beginning “Creativity is a proven force for cognitive Department of Psychology’s Memory Lab. of an international fundraising initiative development, academic achievement and Another project, by the Faculty of Education to support University researchers and social and economic innovation. It opens up and the National Institute of Creative Arts international collaborators. worlds of possibility and change.” and Industries at the University, will test an “There was a moment there where we Or, as our Inaugural Creative Laureate international model indicating that students wondered, ‘Who are we to come to New York once penned: with syllabuses rich in arts produce better to tell people about creativity?’” says Amy “Gather 'round people academic results, including in the STEM Malcolm, who is now Director of the project. Wherever you roam subjects (science, technology, engineering and Affirmation came in the form of attendance And admit that the waters mathematics), than comparable students with and involvement from some esteemed and Around you have grown…” little or no arts emphasis. influential creative thinkers. Among them was Also, the Centre for Brain Research, President Emerita of the Museum of Modern See www.creativethinkingproject.org Elam School of Fine Arts and the Faculty of Art and Chair of its International Council, New York photos by Zander Taketomo Education are developing a project evaluating Agnes Gund, who is also a high profile New the impact of hands-on visual art sessions on York arts patron, a civic leader and a staunch CENTER: Dr Craig Nevill-Manning, Engineering Director for the wellbeing and health — physical, mental, supporter of education. She was on the panel Google, New Zealander and “Creative Conversation” panellist social and spiritual — of stroke survivors. for a live “Creative Conversation” convened LEFT: Iconic poet and musician Bob Dylan, now Creative Laureate of the University’s Creative Thinking Project and Founding Patron “Anything that gets you out of your current by Peter Rajsingh, with Nancy Andreasen; of the Creative Thinking Research Fund

Ingenio / Spring 2014 / 9 ALUMNI PROFILE

NANOGIRL Making Serious Science Fun

Dr Michelle Dickinson — aka scientist something new. Some were adults she met on the sustainable technologies. She was the only New superhero Nanogirl — has kite-surfed with day — at the airport or a gallery. Zealander in a handful of scientists, venture Richard Branson, brainstormed sustainable “100 days was about interacting with the capitalists and tech entrepreneurs — fellow technology with some of the world’s most public and showcasing that everyone does outside-of-the-box thinkers. influential imaginers, and lit a fire in dozens engineering and science everyday — it’s not big “It was magic,” she says. “A of New Zealand kids. and scary and full of grumpy men, and you can paradise island with everything do it at home,” Michelle says. “I want to show catered for, and then it was even STORY NICOLA SHEPHEARD everyone I’m just a normal person and that better when Richard Branson and science is fun.” his wife came over.” Michelle Dickinson is determined to show you In her adult guise, Michelle regularly discusses In true Branson style, networking just how cool science is. science news on TV3’s Firstline and The Paul took place over kite-surfing She runs New Zealand’s only nanomechanical Henry Show. Somehow, she also finds time for (Michelle is a devotee), chess, and testing lab and lectures in the frontier field of her blog MatterChatter. Smart, lucid, funny and various other contests, against a nanotechnology (engineering extremely small engaging, she has the knack of breaking complex backdrop of infinity pools, giant things). “Nano” refers to nanometre, or one science down to concepts most people can tortoises, and a flamingo pond. billionth of a metre — a strand of hair is about grasp. Watch for yourself in her TEDx talks (type In the evenings they discussed 80,000 nanomentres wide; fingernails grow at her name into Youtube). She describes how her how tech could change the world. around one nanometre a second. comicbook-fuelled childhood goals — learning Michelle spoke about New If you have kids, you may have encountered how to fly, make herself invisible and read minds, Zealand science. She tweeted Michelle’s alter-ego, Nanogirl, whose mission is along with her love of breaking things to see about the experience, posting to get kids excited about science. Nanogirl visits how they worked (toasters, computers...) and, a photo of Branson in a chess or Skypes schools, scout dens, and community much later, a Michael Crichton sci-fi horror about game with her, and a selfie centres three or four times a month. She has brain-infecting nanobots — led her ultimately to photo, bombed by a turtle. her own Facebook page, and has appeared on nanomechanics. (Michelle is a regular on Twitter; TV show What Now. Nanogirl fulfils Michelle’s “Although this isn’t part of the performance- her tweets traverse science, childhood ambition to become a superhero (as based research funding process [criteria used social justice, environmentalism, gender equity, a girl, she broke bones from jumping off things to allocate research money to academics], it’s kite-surfing and rock-climbing.) while wearing a cape). really important to have a public profile and be She says she was inspired by Branson’s gentle, She makes an impression. Kids send her accessible,” she says. “A lot of the money we get nurturing style of leadership, and felt privileged brainteasers, drawings, notes — one boy sent his is taxpayer money, and society should see where to be able to contribute her expertise and ideas birthday party pack. their money is going, that the research isn’t — a rare opportunity for working scientists, For a 100 Days Project this year, in which irrelevant. What I’ve realised through Nanogirl is particularly women. “It was novel and fantastic to people choose to do something every day that kids are looking for a role model, science- be a part of that conversation. It’s hard enough for 100 days (http://100daysproject.co.nz/ wise — girls especially.” as it is to be a woman in engineering, but to project/2014/1275), Nanogirl shared a scientific Michelle made headlines herself in June when be treated as an equal in that company was experiment with a different child or adult every billionaire Virgin entrepreneur Richard Branson something else.” day for 100 days. Many of her collaborators invited her to his private Caribbean hideaway, As in many other fields, gender inequality were kids, recruited online; a few showed her Necker Island, for a week of brainstorming manifests in the faster career advancement of

10 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 ALUMNI PROFILE men, due to a work culture whose formal and The study was fascinating, the workload A delicate touch informal customs tend to favour them. Michelle intense. She did a combined bachelors and says: “I’m working on how we can accommodate masters degree in four years, working three R esearch projects underway in Michelle’s women and the specific needs they have, trying part-time jobs to support herself. On graduating, Nanomechanics lab include: to encourage women to have a voice.” she found a job that she loved for a mechanical She recently blogged about the scarcity of company, but was compelled to undertake Gecko feet, robot hands: Geckos have nano- women at Microsoft’s TechEd conference in a doctorate when the new German owners hairs that help their feet adhere to surfaces. The September, where she was a keynote speaker. Of required that all its scientists have one. She lab, with Callaghan Innovation, is developing 2,500-plus delegates, only three percent were studied nanotechnology under a British professor, tiny polymer hairs to line the hands of robots, female. “Conference organisers please take following him to Rutgers University in New Jersey. which will enable them to pick up things more note,” she wrote. “Women like to feel welcome Subsisting on scholarships, she completed her delicately. and when we are, we interact more and feel less doctorate in four years, a record time in the intimidated... Our voice is just as important and United States system. Her research involved Bone disease detector: This is new medical we can often give a unique perspective based on working with a toothpaste manufacturer to figure technology that fits in a syringe and a handheld our different experiences.” out why tooth cavities form — she discovered they device, which will facilitate detection of bone Michelle is used to being somewhat of an form inside-out — and how red wine stains teeth. disease, such as osteoporosis. It will remove outsider — and to the hard slog that generally “That was my first taste of commercialisation, the need for a whole-body X-ray, which can be accompanies this status. As well as being a which is a big component of what I do now, dangerous for pregnant women and children. woman in a male-dominated field, she’s also an trying to understand how research and (With Activelife Scientific). academic from a working class background who commercialisation and innovation work together.” changed schools often while growing up. Her dad Another serendipitous twist brought her to Brain cells on a chip: The lab is growing brain joined the military to learn a trade, becoming an Auckland five years ago. She was at a conference cells in a specific pattern on a silicon chip that’s electrical engineer in the Royal Air Force, which on Biomechanics in Hawaii, looking for a new fitted with microelectrodes on its underside, and meant moving every few years. Her mother did place to go (“I knew America wasn’t for me”), is measuring the cells’ patterns of connection waitressing and bar-work. The family had stints when she met a University of Auckland senior under different conditions. The aim is to better living in Asia and Europe. Michelle went to high lecturer in nanomechanics who told her about a understand how brain cells talk to each other school in a poor neighbourhood vacancy for a lecturer in the speciality. She got and therefore how to recreate those connections the job and moved to Auckland, living in people who’ve lost them through a stroke or in a string of flats until she Alzheimer’s disease. could buy her current home, in west Auckland, which she Soft shells: Climate change is making oceans shares with her Dalmatian dog, more acidic, and the lab is investigating how, Noodle. and at what rate, this is making sea creatures’ Michelle is excited about the teeth, bones and shells softer. (With Mary Sewell potential of nanotechnology from the University of Auckland.) to solve real-world problems, and says you’d be surprised at how much we use already — for example, nano-particles of zinc oxide in sunscreen that are too small for the naked eye, creating, in Nanogirl-speak, an invisible forcefield (no more 1980s fluro- noses!). “I think we’re going to learn much more about nanotechnology and see it in a lot more places over the next few years.” just out of Manchester, topping all her classes. She also excelled at swimming — her coach told her she could make the Olympics if she dedicated herself to it. She ABOVE: Superstar in the making: Michelle at six. was sorely tempted, but chose academia for its RIGHT: Michelle runs her own science days at the weekend. Here she conducts an experiment at Auckland’s better long-term career prospects. Wynyard Quarter. At an open day at Manchester University, “I bumbled around trying to find something I liked and found the Fracture Mechanics lab.” She asked the guy inside, “What do you do?” “We break things,” he said. She’d found her place.

Ingenio / Autumn 2014 / 11 OPINION Why sharks matter STORY RILEY ELLIOTT

If you follow anything to do with the ocean, you should have realised that sharks are facing major issues.

The most common is their battle against the Jaws-driven, media-induced fear factor but, more recently, their over-exploitation because of shark finning. Peoples’ general perception of sharks means In the last 20 years, however, sharks have been up to prove whether decisions are adverse; and that care or want for conservation is not over-exploited for their fins, resulting in up to 90 people are scared of sharks and thus do not mind commonplace — but when they are provided percent of the world’s sharks being wiped out. their demise. with science explaining why sharks matter, their One in five shark species are now threatened with For the past five years I have used media, perceptions often change rapidly. extinction. publication and stimulating imagery to increase Sharks have existed for over 450 million years, Sharks have always been a major by-catch the public uptake of science in order to change since well before dinosaurs. They are of the in tuna surface long-line fishing, with more peoples’ perspective of sharks and thus allow for longest existing vertebrate lineage in history, sharks commonly caught than the targeted their conservation. one that has evolved a critical role in the marine tuna. Historically sharks were worthless and “People only protect what they love; they ecosystem — the apex predator. Top-down were cut free. However China’s free trade only love what they understand; and they only predator pressure not only picks off the weak and open markets during the 1990s resulted understand what they are taught” — Baba Dioum. and sick but it has also forced animals to evolve in an exponential increase in GDP, and thus Over the past two years, in conjunction with camouflage, schooling behavior and predator accessibility to the expensive, status symbol dish Leigh Marine Laboratory and Professor John evasion tactics. Sharks stabilise the marine that is shark fin soup. To provide for this demand, Montgomery, my PhD project has satellite- environment and, in doing so, ensure that all its 70,240 million sharks were finned each year tagged 18 blue sharks, producing what will inhabitants exist in a balance crafted over millions globally. become the world’s most in-depth understanding of years. A large part of the oxygen we breathe In the absence of historic catch data, stock size of this highly migratory species. The extent of comes from the ocean; its continual production estimates have been and continue to be near migrations, breeding and pupping grounds, relies on a healthy ecosystem — one that requires impossible for most shark species, especially the trophic role and catchability are being defined. sharks. highly migratory ones that make up the majority The communication of this science to the New of by-catch. The blue shark is the most commonly Zealand public and increased knowledge of the caught and finned species in this trade — over issue around shark-finning contributed to the 80,000 a year were finned in NZ waters — yes recent success of getting shark-finning banned in that’s right, New Zealand waters. We were one New Zealand waters as of October 2014. of the top ten exporters of shark fins! Yet stock A recipe that has become clear to me in assessments and impact of current catch on addressing conservation issues is that public population sustainability are listed as “unknown” opinion counts and, if backed by science, it can by our Ministry for Primary Industries. be a very powerful tool in achieving necessary The impacts of large-scale removal of these environmental protection. Just recently this apex predators has been well documented approach proved successful again, in one of the around the world, from entire shell fish industries major human-animal conflicts — the Western collapsing to coral reef ecosystems breaking Australia shark cull — ruled as adverse to the down. In New Zealand we earn NZ$1.65 billion a environment largely due to mass public opinion year from the marine ecosystem — so why, in the backed by science. light of these trophic cascades, would we blindly I continue my PhD project, coupled with public fish these apex predators? communication, most recently through my book, In my opinion it’s a trifecta — shark science is published by Random House, and TV series Shark juvenile, only recently revealing even basic biology Man. (see www.sharkman.tv). and behavior, especially for offshore species; government policy seems to start with economics Riley is studying for his PhD in Marine Science at the University of Auckland. first when it comes to environmental resource See Riley on video, filmed for Ingenio at Kelly Tarlton’s. exploitation, with science trying to play catch Visit www.ingenio-magazine.com

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Digital Film • 4K • HD • Photography • HDR • Aerial • Multicam Studio • Streaming Consulting • Directing • Scripting • Producing • Editing • VFX • Colour Grading • Motion Graphics / Autumn 2014 / 13 [email protected] Ingenio FEATURE LETTER FROM NEW YORK

Alumnus Peter Rajsingh (BA 1987), who chairs the US Friends of the University of Auckland, reflects on his time in New Zealand. This is the first in a series in which selected alumni will be invited to contribute their thoughts from abroad.

Aotearoa: clouds, remoteness and creativity Its syllables had a sonorous ring. I heard them first alongside other Mäori words like poi and tiki. Discovering later that Aotearoa meant “land of the long white cloud,” I was smitten. Metaphorical expressiveness of clouds, springing from Romantic poets, had long held linguistic sway (my mother taught English literature). A cloud as “nursling of the Sky,” or “wander[ing] lonely as a cloud that floats on high o’er vales and hills,” were intensely familiar notions. An entire country presented as a long white cloud, was not. This abstract cloud-like quality of New Zealand united with the empirical fact that there’s nothing noxious there — glorious For me, New Zealand’s remoteness shaped Clocks are mechanistic — take them apart and pristineness, devoid of so much as a malarial the strength of the experience. Remoteness you understand how they work. Comprehending mosquito, clinched my choice of studying in New promoted a certain spirit in New Zealanders — clouds presents a larger challenge. Creativity, Zealand. It’s a decision I’ve never regretted. independence and self-sufficiency, a sense of like clouds, occurs in irregular and unpredictable New Zealand’s sui generis inspirational qualities generosity, community and an enduring curiosity ways. We draw upon creativity to solve problems impress upon you from the moment you arrive. about the wider world. Distance also evoked both coming at us from left field and our most creative And upon leaving, every New Zealander in confidence about being shielded from greater moments tend to happen when least expected. So the diaspora preserves a sturdy affection for global dangers along with an anxiety about not how best are we to understand creativity? Aotearoa that never is displaced. My time in New being left behind, which kept you on your toes. The University of Auckland’s Creative Zealand was like being on cloud nine! New Zealanders seem to fit in wherever they Thinking project (see story page 8), which had At the University of Auckland, I came to read find themselves. Seeing them flourishing in its international campaign launch on 9 October Keith Sinclair’s classic, Distance Looks Our Way: fast-paced urban capitals, or ruggedly making a in New York, is a fantastic way New Zealand the Effects of Remoteness on New Zealand. difference as aid workers in remote parts of the creativity will benefit the world — thinking The work interrogates the consequences of developing world, New Zealanders consistently creatively about creativity! This is fitting since geographical remoteness. What does it mean to punch above their proverbial weight. And I’d say New Zealand, the land of the long white cloud, be antipodean? Is insularity or provincialism the this has to do with creativity. also represents an abstract creative idea in the dominant ethos of living on a long white cloud at The idea of New Zealand-ness as a slightly consciousness of people. People everywhere the edge of the world? amorphous cloud is a creative definition. Clouds, think of New Zealand as a crucible of creativity. after all, are fluid and can contour and re- From a distance, the world is always looking New contour themselves. Unfettered by structural and Zealand’s way and in this project, here again, we institutional constraints weighing down other have New Zealand leading from the edge of countries, New Zealand has the good fortune of the world. being able to engage in persistent progressive reinvention. Creatively deploying limited resources helped New Zealand reach the finals Since graduating from Auckland, where he was awarded the Senior and Annual prizes in Politics, Peter V. Rajsingh has of the America’s Cup, creativity makes certain lived in New York, where he works in a boutique alternative industries in New Zealand the best in the world, asset management firm, teaches at New York University and this same quality allows Kiwis to survive and and sits on the boards of a number of charities and private companies. Last month Peter chaired the “Creative thrive in New Zealand and abroad. Conversation” at the University’s Creative Thinking launch in The philosopher Karl Popper has an elegant New York (see story page 8). essay, "Of Clocks and Clouds", that among other CENTRE: Peter, as a student, meets David Lange, who was things discusses the determinacy of knowledge. then Prime Minister of New Zealand ACADEMIC INSIGHTS ALUMNI PROFILE

ENCOUNTERING ‘ISLANDNESS’

We are, self-evidently, an island nation. But what does the condition of “islandness” mean? Further, how can conversations across disciplinary borders develop new understanding of islands?”

STORY ROBIN KEARNS

since reflects these interwoven influences. These questions surfaced for me when I invited For me, closer-to-home islands have taken on poet and painter Gregory O’Brien to accompany new degrees of intrigue. I have since examined me to the Chatham Islands in late 2012. What the role of the sea in the wellbeing of people began with the goal of developing teaching on Rotoroa in the Hauraki Gulf, the former resources ended up as a re-imagining of the Salvation Army alcohol detox centre, and have process of creatively engaging with places. supervised work exploring people’s experiences Our time in the field involved what of aging on Waiheke. Icelandic geographer Karl Benediktsson calls What’s excited us is the way each other’s ways a “conversation with landscape”: a discursive of articulating islands has influenced the other. The encounter running deeper than measurement geographer and the artist have found common and analysis. We sought to feel the tension ground. I have tentatively turned to metaphor between intimacy and isolation that shapes the and verse, and for Greg, new topographies have contours of island life. We found the Chathams, entered his paintings and poetry. in Greg’s words, “at once, part of New Zealand Creativity is born of encounter and and, most evidently, somewhere else … like a conversations. Like islands themselves, creativity space station or satellite orbiting at the outer appears when one loosens familiar ties and reaches of the mainland’s gravitational field”. heads out to sea. Upon return, we engaged in a year-long email See Kearns, R and O’Brien, G. (2014). “A week exchange; a rich dialogue serving to craft an on the Chathams”. Landfall 227, 77-86 account of not only a singular place, but also of the place of islands themselves in our lives and national identity. Professor Robin Kearns, School of Environment, University of Auckland, was named Distinguished New Zealand For Greg, visiting the Chathams occurred Geographer of the Year in this year’s New Zealand soon after visits to Rapanui (Easter Island) and Geographical Society Awards. Raoul (in the Kermadecs). His art in the time

LEFT: Greg O’Brien (left) and Robin Kearns RIGHT: Chatham Islands

Ingenio / Autumn 2014 / 15 ALUMNI PROFILE CHARTER SCHOOLS Are they working?

Helen Borne asked three prominent f igures in the f ield of education for their views.

kilter with state provision. They exist without eyes of the African American mothers who Hasty response any reference to researched or negotiated were dropping off their five-year-olds, very In a different context the Prime Minister community need and some are already smartly dressed in their white shirts and green described a policy: “If it looks like a dog, and demonstrating they are struggling to meet trousers and skirts. smells like a dog, it is a dog”. That’s the case the needs of their students. It is not surprising For similar reasons, five Partnership Schools with charter schools. Simply: they are a dog. they struggle as they were set up in extreme Kura Hourua (PSKH) were established this year You can dress them up with a Māori haste to meet a rather shady political agenda. in lower socio-economic areas of Auckland and name and position them as if they are about The one exception perhaps is the Mt Hobson Northland, thus enabling 350 students to be partnership. However, they are the darling Middle school, which seems to have only one given a choice hitherto available only to those of right wing ideologues who see in them the point of difference to state schools: smaller class in leafy suburbs. Another four have just been promise of privatising state education and sizes. When the government argues elsewhere announced, sponsored by committed boards, dismantling the power of teacher unions. They it doesn’t make a difference and then offers including notable proponents such as Willy are predicated on a politically-motivated and charter schools funding that allows for small Jackson and Michael Jones. manufactured crisis in education that bears little class sizes we can only wonder about the PSKH is not an attack on the state school resemblance to the reality. ambivalent and confused message that has system. International evidence is remarkably clear been given to South Auckland parents. It is not the be all and end all, but it is that the introduction of charter schools in other a positive alternative to the one size fits jurisdictions has not lifted the performance of Associate Professor Peter O’Connor all system, which is not currently coping education systems. In the United States after Director, Critical Research Unit in Applied Theatre, Faculty well with the very concerning long tail of over a decade of charter schools the educational of Education, University of Auckland underachievement in New Zealand, especially gap has widened. If you are poor and from among Māori and Pasific communities. an ethnic minority in the US it is harder to I strongly support the PSKH movement achieve educationally now than it was before A positive because: their introduction. In the UK, academy and • it gives lower socio-economic communities free schools have decimated public education alternative choices they have never had as part of a deliberate government policy. The I n 1991, I was fortunate enough to visit one of • it enables local communities to develop new schools however have been bedevilled the first charter schools in the United States, educational programmes more in harmony with financial and moral scandals. Parents are which was established in a disused parochial with their cultural traditions and educational increasingly returning to state education where hall in central Milwaukee, by educational needs and when they can. reformer Polly Williams. • it encourages innovative approaches eg The existing charter schools in New Zealand She had fought the unions and the a para-military discipline and pride in offer nothing new. In fact all of them could quite bureaucracy to use the state spend of $2,500 one school, a practical trades-related easily be catered for under the provisions of per child to produce what the poor community programme in another, and so on special character schools. They are all funded in that area had never had — choice. I will • it gives those who have dropped out a at levels that are quite extraordinarily out of never forget the excitement and pride in the second chance

16 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 TAKING ISSUE

• it is subject to strong accountability and Partnership Schools, has been promoted by the sponsors were assessed against specific monitoring processes Government as a panacea for disadvantaged criteria; therefore it is difficult to understand • it must demonstrate educational children who fail to achieve academic success how this school gained approval. New schools achievement within the National Curriculum in the state system. often have teething problems that, given time, and against National Standards and NCEA Although there is little data to indicate can improve. However, students’ futures should benchmarks whether the five pilot charter schools are not be jeopardised by low-level programmes Partnership Schools deserve a fair go. working, as they were only established at the being provided while the school works through Helen Borne asked three prominent f igures in the f ield of education for their views. beginning of 2014, there is anecdotal evidence its never-ending problems. John Taylor that strongly reveals some charter schools are The defining feature of any educational performing better than others. For example, a institution is the high quality of programmes Senior Advancement Consultant to the University of Auckland, and former Director of Alumni Relations & positive outcome can be seen in the charter offered to meet the needs of its students. As Development, Head Master King’s College (1988-2002) school that boasts an 89 percent student the current Government intends to expand Member of the Partnership Schools Kura Hourua Authorisation Board average in its first term NCEA assessments, on the number of charter schools in New irrespective of ethnicity. By comparison, other Zealand, it is imperative that more stringent charter schools are experiencing difficulties processes are used in the selection, monitoring in maintaining their minimum rolls and and evaluation of sponsors/leaders of charter S trinGENT providing quality educational programmes. schools. Clearly, charter schools can provide In particular, one school has had no capacity solutions to enhance the quality of education; processes needed to perform well since it started but has been however, they must not become the problem in Since the notion of charter schools in allowed to continue anyway. Ongoing negative the process of making this happen. New Zealand was announced, there has press concerning the school’s poor facilities, been widespread controversy about their ineffective governance, unproven leadership Heather Peters implementation. and the school’s inability to recruit highly Director, Tai Tokerau Campus (1992-2012) Many educators have become concerned skilled teachers has resulted in major problems Faculty of Education about the dubious reasons given as to why for the school. These negative factors have University of Auckland New Zealand needs charter schools, given that compromised the quality of education offered this model has achieved mixed results overseas. to the students and have also lost the goodwill Further, the experimentation of charter of some of the parents.

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INGENIO observer, but a sharp one, describing a lush, From the Judges’ Corner sensuous, at the same time alienating, world. SHORT Overall, this year’s selection of short stories was diverse and compelling, reflecting a wide array STORY of experience and literary influence. We were About the winner gratified to note that many of the submissions Trisha Hanifin graduated from the University COMPETITION were stylistically adventurous, and many of Auckland in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts WINNER experimented with the form of story-writing (double major in History and Political Science). ANNOUNCED itself. In 1993 and 1994 she undertook postgraduate study part-time, completing four masters papers. She later went on to gain a Master of Creative Winning story Writing (at AUT) in 2010. “Me and Bobby McGee” is an accomplished This is the third year that Trisha has worked in adult education and and fluent story, skilfully constructed, with adult literacy for over 25 years, teaching a range Alumni Relations have run this moments of keen observation and interesting of subjects including reading and writing at competition and we’d like to character insights as we follow the arc of four both foundational and academic levels. She has thank everyone who entered, lives. Historic jealousies are manifested as the written on the nature and extent of adults’ literacy narrator explores the shifts in relationships judged and sponsored the issues in Facing the Challenge: Foundation and connection amongst her long-time friends. Learning for Adults in Aotearoa New Zealand competition this year. There is a sense of loss and wasted lives amidst (Dunmore Press, 2008). She is currently teaching the narrator’s preception of being on the outer on the foundation studies programme at Unitec’s edge of desirability. The narrator is always the Waitakere campus.

Me and Bobby McGee * into trendy cafes. If I could throw time in the air like a jigsaw I carried my tea into the bedroom. Last night Irene rang. puzzle and watch the pieces fall, I’d see that “You can talk to him,” she said, “he can still She said it was time. long ago summer ripple down against my bare hear you.” This morning I stood at the window and arms and legs and feel again the touch of Bax’s I sipped my tea too quickly and scalded the stared into the garden, watching the sparrows, skin against mine. And if I could hold just one inside of my mouth. and the neighbor’s cat trying to hunt them. piece of it in my hand I’d lift it to my face and Bax’s lungs heaved and slapped as he tried He was old, his belly so baggy it dragged on smell the heated earth cooling down, the zest to suck in air. There wasn’t enough energy left the ground. He missed them by a mile, but still of it sweet as oranges as we drove out of town. over to open his eyes or talk. His hands twitched crouched in the grass and gave it his best shot. Bax and me in front, Jerry and Irene in the back, above the sheet. I reached over and touched I sipped my tea; gathered my energy. listening to Bax’s tape on the car stereo, Jerry the desiccated skin on his palm. His fingers At the mall a busker had set himself up in pretending his sandal was a microphone, Irene clutched at mine then curled and uncurled like a the concrete square between the Bank and with her eyes closed, her black hair glistening, newborn. I looked away, inspected the walls and the Happy Sun bakery. He had an old acoustic seaweed on the foam of an incoming tide. floors of Irene’s house. They had that golden guitar, its battered case at his feet. His grey After lunch I sat in the car, waiting for my gut glow you get from polished kauri. Jerry had once hair was drawn back in a ponytail and he was to settle and my breath to ease. I pressed my lived there with her and, after him, Bax. dressed all in black like Johnny Cash. The sun cheek against the steering wheel. Time caught Irene stood by the bed in a turquoise shirt was out. A few people dropped coins as they me right beneath the ribs. My heart beat like and black silk trousers looking down at Bax. Her went by. He took a sip from his water bottle and an orphan’s. Waves broke on black sand. Bax figure was still good; her hair still lush, just two waited while a bus rumbled by. Once the smell was standing knee-deep in the surf playing streaks of grey at her temples. of diesel lifted he took a breath, strummed those his harmonica under a fading moon, making “They’ve given us enough morphine for familiar opening chords and threw his head it sound like a steam engine gathering speed. another twelve hours,” she said. back, his throat open and beautiful as a bird’s. Irene danced barefoot, wet hair dripping salt * Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for water down her back, damp patches spreading That long ago summer night we drove to the a train… on her white shirt like the map of an exotic gorge where Bax grew his dope. It was harvest Well, he wasn’t Janis, but he did okay. country. I lay on the rug, peeling oranges and time and safer to reap the heads in the dark He and the song and the mid-morning rolling joints for the journey back. And Jerry? He than in daylight. Irene sat up front with Bax. traffic and the kids loitering, all of us there, just was leaning against the boot of the car, his eyes Jerry and I fell asleep in the back and they hanging out. Time peeled back: the four of us lit up, drinking in Irene. didn’t wake us when we got there. I woke at were still together, speeding through the night — * first light wondering why Bax and I weren’t back hey, hey, hey, Bobbie McGee. It was dark when I arrived. Irene made home in our own bed. I followed the smell of I stood in that patch of sun and held on to a jasmine tea and chatted about which buildings cigarette smoke and found Jerry sitting with his moment of grace. had been pulled down and which ones turned back against a tree. His eyes were closed, his

18 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 ALUMNI PROFILE

hugely rewarding, especially getting feedback about the failure to communicate due to from three such prestigious judges, all of whose language and cultural barriers. For more on work I greatly admire. It’s such a boost to get the runner-up, see news item on page 7. recognition for your work and to have the opportunity to have a story published, particularly in such difficult times for writers and publishers. Honourable mentions Competitions such as this motivate writers to “Recognition” by Fiona Stevens, alumna keep going, and help keep the writing community (BSc(Hons) 2004, GradDipArts 2014) alive.” “Miracle Child” by Krista Ferguson, alumna (BCom) “Eloise” by Wendy Duggan, alumna (LLB) Runner Up Congratulations to the deserving winners! Trisha writes short stories, flash fiction and is “Makalofi” by alumnus Dr Greg Judkins (BSc, Selina Tusitala Marsh, Sarah Laing and currently working on a novel, Ghost Travellers. MBChB, Dip Obst) is a striking story of domestic Paula Morris Her stories have been shortlisted in a number abuse between mother-in-law and daughter-in- of New Zealand competitions including the BNZ law, with effective shifts between patient and literary awards. This year her flash fiction has medical perspectives. On the whole the story been published in Turbine and Flash Frontiers, manages to avoid overt sentimentality with and she was the Auckland Regional winner and some nice subtleties. There is much story to Alumni Relations wishes to thank our judges, generous second place-getter in the National Flash Fiction be gleaned out of the fragments. Knowledge sponsors and Anna Hodge from Auckland University Press for her invaluable contribution to the selection process as well as Competition. is power and quite a lot of knowledge is being to Stephanie Johnson for providing a two-hour personalised Says Trisha: “Winning this competition is withheld by numerous parties. This is a story coaching session for the winner.

cigarette burning between his fingers. and plumped it up. His head barely made a air out of the room. Jerry was exhausted after 15 I ran my fingers through my hair. “Where’s dent when I lowered it back down. His skin, minutes but when I suggested we get a coffee Bax?” stretched tight across his cheekbones, had that and let him rest he shook his head. Jerry didn’t open his eyes, just waved his translucent morphine glow. I stood by the window while she sat beside cigarette butt towards the bush. I reached across the bed to Irene’s side. Her him. She smoothed her shirt, crossed her legs, I stumbled across the two of them in the pillows were encased in pale blue silk. I pressed flicked the back of her hair a couple of times. At centre of his patch. They didn’t see or hear me. one of them against my chest. How easy to the end of the hour she leaned over and kissed Irene was naked, her hair spread out across her take Bax’s last, difficult breaths from him; how Jerry’s cheek. His hands were shaking with pain shoulders, a luminous white shoot among all satisfying to use Irene’s pillow to do it. I rubbed but he still reached up and brushed the tips of the green. She was slightly taller and heavier the silk against my cheek. It was tepid as it his fingers against her glistening hair. than Bax and his arms and legs were wrapped slid against my skin, like water or blood. My * around her. He said something in her ear and fingers trembled. I turned and caught sight of I picked up my bag and walked to the door. I watched as she laughed and bent her knees, something in the mirror, something reptilian, I turned and looked back at Bax. His body had balancing his weight on her thighs as she clutching a patch of pale blue over the hole in shrunk; his bones and joints too big for his lowered them both to the ground. His fingers her heart. muscle and skin. All that grace and beauty; all curled and uncurled in her hair. * of it wasted. * Eight years ago, Jerry went from a doctor’s Once I was out of town I wound the window A framed photo of the four of us was on the visit about a persistent cough to the hospice in down to feel the night air on my face and arms. I bedside table. I’m at one end, Jerry’s at the the space of a month. In the evenings when he turned the volume up and listened to Janis. other, a couple of bookends. Irene’s got an arm couldn’t sleep I sat beside the bed in the big Nothin ain’t worth nothing but it’s free … around each of them. Her eyes are slightly armchair and held his hand. We cruised — two When I passed the old turn off to Bax’s patch closed; she’s smiling straight at the camera. It parts of the old puzzle together again, moving I raised my hand in mock salute — the ghost of was taken the week before she lowered Bax to through one more porous night. Just before myself greeting the ghosts of the past. the ground on her thighs in his dope patch, his dawn, when sleep finally seemed possible, I’d body wrapped so tight around hers not an inch play some version of Me and Bobby McGee and of air could come between them. A weird kind of he’d smile and mouth that first word, Busted, WANT TO READ MORE? The winning story, runner-up and three honourable rumbling came out of her throat as he entered the ghost of himself greeting the ghosts of the mentions can be read at www.ingenio-magazine.com her, like a cat when it catches a mouse. She past. drew him in until she was all filled up and there Late one afternoon Irene came. She was over was nothing left. dressed and over loud, apologising on Bax’s I leaned over and smoothed the sheet where behalf for his absence. He had three months to Bax’s hands had been crumpling it. Lifted his go before they’d consider him for parole. In her head and shoulders, turned the pillow over designer jeans and linen shirt she sucked all the

Ingenio / Spring 2014 / 19 2014ALUMNI PROFILEAlumni and Friends events

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One: His Excellency Wang Lutong , Ambassador, Embassy Four: Dr Kathryn Chrystal, Dr Dina Katz, Dr David Atkinson, of the People’s Republic of China in New Zealand; School of and Dr Julyan Lawry. Five: Guest speaker Dr Erin Griffey at Music student Pearl Huang; and Vice-Chancellor Professor the “Celebration of Giving” event at University House on 18 Stuart McCutcheon at the University’s Lantern Festival June. Six: Wright Family Guggenheim Scholarship recipient Reception at University House on 14 February. Renisa Maki at the “Celebration of Giving”. Seven: Associate Two: Guests at the Indonesia Alumni and Friends reception Professor Bernard Brown addresses his former students on 20 at the New Zealand official residence on 18M arch: Bayu June at the 30th Year Law School Reunion. Eight: The 30th Rahmat Novita, Ridzky Firmansyah Amin and Ricardo Gita Year Auckland Law School Reunion “Big I” 80s fancy dress Photos by: Godfrey Boehnke Perkasa. party at the Pullman Hotel — Dave Neutze dressed as Axl Three: Medical students Eryn Isdale, Bryony Nicholls, Sunny Rose and Lady Deborah Chambers as Madonna. Li, Rohit Katial, Riah Mildenhall, Ishika Jayasinghe at the MBChB 2014 Reunion in May.

20 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 2014 Alumni and Friends events ALUMNI PROFILE

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Nine: Mark Bentley, Director of Alumni Relations and Thirteen: Natalie Ip and Graeme Read at the Singapore Development, and Loretta Mamea at the Wellington Alumni reception. Fourteen: Business card draw winner Richie Wong and Friends Reception at the City Gallery on 30 July . and FMHS Dean Professor John Fraser. Fifteen: Han M Yong, Ten: Jack Trevella and Sandy McLachlan from Wellington New Zealand High Commissioner Her Excellency Bernadette College. Eleven: Hon Maryan Street, Professor Jenny Cavanagh and Khoon L Goh. Sixteen: Kube Jones-Neill and Dixon and Hon Steven Joyce at the post-event following the Distinguished Professor Dame Anne Salmond at the Hood University of Auckland Society’s Tertiary Education Dialogue Programme celebration at University House on 25 August. at the Maidment Theatre on 19 August . Twelve: Dr William Seventeen: Professor Simon Holdaway and Professor Ngaire Tan, Distinguished Alumni Award winner and guest speaker Kerse, both Hood Fellows, attended the tenth anniversary for our Kuala Lumpur and Singapore Alumni and Friends of the Fellowships at University House. Eighteen: Amy Receptions, at the Singapore reception on 21 August. Malcolm, Margaret Parker and Ron Sang at the opening of the University of Auckland Society-sponsored GIFTED exhibition at the Gus Fisher Gallery on 5 September . Ingenio / Spring 2014 / 21 HISTORY Lest we forget STORY TESS REDGRAVE

Name Milnes, Herbert A.E. No. 22525 Rank Lieutenant At A.U.C. 1906-15 (Staff) Degree BSc (London) Remarks Killed in action France Oct. 4th 1917.

both the Students’ Association and the College College men and women by name and branch This is just one poignant entry in the administration, and although the College of service but does not prioritise officers over the Auckland University College First World never went ahead with physical memorials to rank and file, or frontline service over the service War Roll of Honour, which has been students’ war service in the form of a plaque, of support staff such as nurses and orderlies. It digitised to mark the centenary of the war. gate or statue, the books stand in their stead. speaks to the impact of the war on Auckland and It is one of many commemorative activities They suggest that for those who lived through on the College community. It has a personal feel.” being undertaken around the country. the challenges of the war, coming to terms The Roll forms the centrepiece of the “The Roll of Honour was donated to the with its meaning was as much about grappling Special Collections First World War centenary University’s Library in 1941 during the Second with its consequences for known, named and website, which also features information about the University during that period and short biographies of some of the five women and 715 men recorded in the Roll, who were past and present students and staff who had enlisted. The University of Auckland Society provided funding towards the digitisation and the Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Development Fund supported the development of the website. The initiative was launched at a Society salon in early August.

Collegians at war

When Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, Auckland University College World War and is now held as an archive in loved individuals as understanding high-level (AUC) had been open for 31 years. One of four Special Collections,” explains Stephen Innes, geopolitics and military strategy. Even now, affiliated Colleges of the University of New Special Collections Manager. “As far as we know, the scale of the losses in WWI are such that Zealand, it had an academic staff of eight no physical memorial was mounted to those they are almost impossible to comprehend in professors and 16 lecturers, demonstrators and from the University who served or died in the the aggregate. In 1914, New Zealand had a assistants. There were 610 students: 328 men War, so digitising the Roll makes this information population of 1.1 million. Between 1914 and and 282 women, although many were part-time easily and widely accessible for the first time.” 1918, 103,000 New Zealanders served overseas. and non-matriculated students. “The genesis of the roll was a spontaneous Of those, 17,000 were killed and 41,000 The first Collegians to enlist did so within and informal desire on the part of students to wounded during the war; another thousand men days of the declaration of war. Over the four remember their peers,” says University Senior died from injuries within five years of the war’s years, most joined the New Zealand infantry, Lecturer Dr Deborah Montgomerie. end. Like the people who lived through the war, in particular the battalions of the Auckland “One night in the Common Room in the one hundred years later we are still using the Regiment. Others joined New Zealand’s artillery, spring of 1914,” recounted a student in the stories of known, named individuals and discrete medical, engineering and mounted units. A few Student Association journal The Kiwi, “a group of communities as a way to grasp its impact.” served with the Allied forces, including in the us put down the names of 50 people whom we Deborah says there has been an emphasis Royal Navy, the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal knew were in camp. The next day there were 70 in recent years on examining the impact of war Army Medical Corps and the Australian Imperial on the list, and in a week 100.” on ordinary men and women. “This project is in Forces. Four women served with the New “The original AUC roll grew from there,” step with those developments; it, and the original Zealand Army Nursing Service Corps and one Deborah explains. “It received support from record it is based on, catalogues the service of with the Australian Army Nursing Service.

22 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 HISTORY

Herbert Milnes Scientific Society and a member of the Executive Winifred was working at Auckland Hospital Committee for the Men’s Common Room. when she and the other 11 nurses were given just Herbert Milnes was principal of Auckland Leslie was partially a few days’ notice of their departure for Sydney. Training College and education lecturer at deaf since childhood From there they left for Egypt on 13 April 1915 on Auckland University College from 1906 until and his initial board the Kyarra. late 1915. Born in Leeds in 1874, he arrived from attempts to join the Early in the war, Winifred was treating Isleworth, Middlesex, in February 1906 to find military were rebuffed casualties from Gallipoli at the 2nd Australian that he had the task of rebuilding a teachers’ but he eventually General Hospital near Cairo. She was later college essentially from scratch. He was “got in by a mixture attached to the 14th Australian General Hospital undaunted and immediately set about creating 1.of good luck and at Abbassia, Cairo, where she was based until a vibrant institution over his decade as principal. guile”. During military late 1918. Like many serving medical staff, Herbert was an advocate of the popular early training at Trentham, Winifred was hospitalised multiple times, 20th-century ideology of athleticism, and a focus his deafness was discovered when an instructor including for a mild “debility” in April 1917. She on physical health permeated every aspect of gave an order in his bad ear. As a result, he was faced a hectic time when she returned to work his life and work. He encouraged all students given an office job, but, as with most aspects after that illness, as fighting in Gaza meant the to learn swimming, lifesaving and first aid, and of his life, he persisted and in April 1918 he operating theatre “was in use from early morning all men to train in rifle shooting. He himself embarked for the Front. In September 1918, just until late at night”. played front row for the University College XV. days after joining the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Winifred was awarded the Royal Red Cross His main concern for his students was their New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade in France, he was Second Class for her war service. On her return, health and happiness severely wounded by a shell “a British one at she worked at the King George V hospital in rather than the that” and lost his left leg. Rotorua and later spent more than a decade accumulation of After the war Leslie went on to become a in Palmerston North, where she practiced facts. He personally world leader in many aspects of computing and as a medical masseuse. She died in 1937 in supervised physical founded one of the world’s first private scientific Onehunga after a long illness. education, nurtured computing companies, Scientific Computing an involvement in Service Ltd, which during the Second World War To view the Roll of Honour and to read these games like fives produced ballistic, bombing and geodetic tables biographies in full, go to: www.specialcollections. and tennis, and for the Allies. Leslie died in London in December auckland.ac.nz/ww1-centenary was an early 1950, aged 57. In December 2000, the main This article was put together with the help of exponent of basketball in New Zealand. mathematics and statistics computer laboratory Special Collections staff Jo Birks and Katherine Herbert, whose wife Louisa died in 1913, at the University of Auckland was named in his Pawley and History graduate Jonathan Burgess. enlisted on 7 March 1916, aged 41. He was honour. soon promoted to second lieutenant and embarked for Plymouth on 21 January 1917, training at Salisbury Plain. Deployed to the WINIFRED SCOTT UPPER LEFT: Herbert Milnes taken before his arrival in New Zealand in 1905. The Manuka, 1918, 9, pp. 14-15. Western Front with the Auckland Infantry on NZP 378.95 M26. 29 May 1917, Herbert was killed instantly four Sister Winifred Merelina Scott was attached to ABOVE: Leslie Comrie in later life. months later at Passchendaele, Belgium, on 4 the Australian Army Nursing Service during the © Godfrey Argent Studio LOWER LEFT: Winifred Scott: Family collection October 1917 when a shell landed almost at war and worked primarily in hospitals in Egypt, his feet as he led the 3rd Company of the 3rd initially treating the wounded from Gallipoli. She BELOW “Collegian Robert Steele took this photo of his Auckland Battalion in an assault on a pill box was one of 12 nurses fellow Collegians Ernest Hayter, Jock McKenzie, Robert Frater and Andrew Fordyce.” Online Cenotaph, Auckland known as Otto Farm. who left New Zealand War Memorial When news of Herbert’s death reached the on 1 April 1915 after Training College on Friday, 12 October, it was the Australian Prime announced to students assembled in the hall Minister asked and the College was closed in his honour until the New Zealand the following Tuesday. government for nursing staff to bolster an LESLIE COMRIE Australian contingent heading to Egypt. F or the first years of the war, much of the Winifred was born in Auckland in 1883 to hard work compiling the Roll of Honour was Alithea (nee Symonds) and William Scott, a undertaken by noted science student Leslie well-known surgeon at Auckland Hospital who Comrie. Born at Pukekohe in 1893, Leslie also kept a general practice in Onehunga. As attended the University from 1912 to 1916, an undergraduate she was active on campus, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1915 including serving as secretary of the Ladies’ and a Master of Arts in Chemistry in 1916. He Common Room Club, working for the short-lived was a founding member of the College Rifle University journal Marte Nostro and performing Club, Secretary of the Tennis Club, the AUC in musical duets.

Ingenio / Autumn 2014 / 23 RESEARCH THE DARK SIDE OF OUR FISHING INDUSTRY STORY MARGO WHITE

Research from the University has helped achieve ground-breaking legislative changes which were urgently needed to halt human rights abuses.

Y ou wouldn’t expect academics going about but too often for it to be dismissed as the there were no others with such a clear vision of their research to have to deal with this: occasional aberration. wrong and right.” being investigated and followed by private It was the first in-depth research into the Christina and Glenn didn’t actually set investigators, being intimidated by hired thugs, foreign charter fishing sector, and has helped out to investigate forced labour practices on even being tailed in their vehicles. inform a number of legislative changes aimed board FCVs. Rather, they first set out to look “But I think I was more angry than scared, that at promoting better working conditions and at how New Zealand could rebuild its seafood this was happening in New Zealand,” says Dr protection for those working on FCVs. This processing industry — many of the fish caught Christina Stringer, senior lecturer in international includes the Fisheries (Foreign Charter Vessels in New Zealand waters were being tailed, business at the University of Auckland. “And that and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, which gutted and shipped off to China for value-added it was Kiwis who were doing this.” processing, then refrozen and exported to key Christina and fellow researcher, Dr Glenn markets such as the USA and Japan and even Simmons, have been in the media a lot in the last back to New Zealand. few years as the authors of the ground-breaking what is happening on This research revealed the lost economic “Not in New Zealand Waters, Surely?”, research those ships is nothing opportunities of the fishing industry, but first that revealed the extent of human rights and alerted them to the atrocious conditions on labour abuses occurring on Foreign Charter short of slavery… the foreign trawlers fishing on behalf of New Vessels (FCVs) fishing in New Zealand’s Exclusive Zealand companies. “We were getting very Economic Zone (EEZ): under-payment and non- implements a number of changes “to protect conflicting messages,” says Glenn. “On the one payment of wages, wages being eaten up by the human rights of crews and ensure that hand we were being told we had a world-leading agency fees, fake contracts, sexual harassments, New Zealand’s reputation as a responsible and fishing industry, and on the other hand, there inhumane punishments, even rape. sustainable fishing nation is maintained”. From was accumulating anecdotal evidence of poor There was anecdotal and journalistic evidence May 2016, all FCVs must carry the New Zealand working conditions, crew going on strike, crew that this had been going on for some years. In flag, and operate under full New Zealand legal deserting their vessels, crew being sent home fact, even in the mid 1990s, accusations were jurisdiction. The Bill unanimously passed its third and so on.” made in Parliament that “what is happening reading in parliament this year. Evidence began to mount further when, in on those ships is nothing short of slavery…” Yet Their investigation into the “dark side” of the 2010, the Oyang 70, a South Korean fishing it wasn’t taken seriously, at least not seriously fishing business has been perhaps best summed vessel, capsized and six men died. Apart from enough for successive governments to be up by Michael Field, in the acknowledgements the immediate tragedy of the loss of lives, prompted to do anything about it. “For so long it of his recently published book, The Catch: testimonies from surviving crew pointed to had been shrugged off, as a kind of anomaly… How fishing companies reinvented slavery shocking working conditions. Then, the following one or two bad operators,” says Christina. and plunder in the oceans: “Paramount are year, two separate crews walked off their She and Glenn provided evidence that was Glenn Simmons and Dr Christina Stringer of vessels (Shin Ji and Oyang 75) while berthed in impossible to ignore — produced with academic the University of Auckland Business School. New Zealand ports, citing verbal, physical and rigour and by a reputable University — showing Theirs was no ivory tower; they always knew the contract abuse. This galvanised public concern. not only that modern-day slavery was alive and data they collected was about people and their It also persuaded Christina and Glenn that the well and practised within New Zealand waters, families. In the struggle to end slave fishing, issue needed further research, and urgently.

24 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 RESEARCH

Moreover, many crew members were ready to after he fell asleep... ” And there were times that their academic talk. The researchers recall their first interview, Says Christina: “The hardest thing for me, colleagues advised them that they were putting with two young Indonesian men. was when the interviewees finally started talking themselves at risk, and they would be wiser to Glenn: “After the first interview, it became very about the rapes. One interviewee in particular abandon the project altogether. “But it would clear that we had stumbled across something was so upset as he recounted the repeated rapes have been a greater travesty if we walked away pretty insidious.” of his cabin mate — his feeling of overwhelming … morally, just as a person, we have these Christina: “And we couldn’t walk away… I’m guilt, as he couldn’t stop it.” intrinsic obligations to uphold the rule of law, and sure these men didn’t have anybody to talk to As highlighted in the first paragraph, Christina part of that is not ignoring particularly insidious about these things. In fact we asked them if they and Glenn’s investigations were not always situations,” says Glenn. talked about these things with each other and Christina: “How could we have lived with they said, ‘no we don’t, we try to forget.’ I think ourselves, ethically?” that is something that Glenn and I provided for In fact, it was the kind of research that many crew members, an opportunity for them to often compelled them to go beyond the call of have a voice.” phone calls were made, academic duty. Glenn refers to Eula, a young Glenn: “That’s how we saw our role. We photographs taken, and widow with a baby, whose husband drowned weren’t enforcement officers, who had either on the Oyang 70. EuIa was entitled to an ACC ignored or failed in their responsibilities, but strange men began to payment, but she lived in a remote village and we were giving the crew a voice. And having didn’t know about her entitlement, and what was the brand of the University of Auckland behind appear outside the required to secure it. us was our most powerful tool… even though As Glenn and Christina were in Indonesia for these were migrant workers with low levels of restaurant other research, they drove five hours to visit her, education, they respected knowledge, and they welcome. There was the night in which they organise the necessary paperwork and deliver respected universities. We didn’t realise this until decided to take the crew members from the Shin it to ACC along with their sworn affidavits. As a we got further into the research — that we could Ji out to a restaurant — the men were living in result, Eula received $15,000 in funeral and death go places that authorities wouldn’t have been “safe houses” at the time and, having no income, payments. “That was equivalent to about seven able to.” were dependent on the kindness of strangers to years’ income,” says Glenn. Over the following year, with the help of four even eat. “So when she got the news, she made a four- translators, Christina and Glenn interviewed “And of all the Chinese restaurants in town, hour trip to Skype us -—- simply to say thank you. 144 personnel, mostly crew members working we had to choose the one being dined in by She couldn’t believe that academics would do on Korean fishing vessels. They met in unusual the crew’s former boss,” says Christina. And this sort of thing. I’ll always remember the look places to protect the crew. There was little doubt shortly after the crew members were spotted on her face and the tears of happiness. Because about the veracity of what they were hearing; by their former boss, phone calls were made, someone gave a damn.” the men had kept comprehensive records of their photographs taken, and strange men began Christina and Glenn have now interviewed experiences on their cell phones, not only wage to appear outside the restaurant, making their more than 300 people in the fishing industry. details, but photographs and videos capturing presence felt by staring at them through the Both are cautiously optimistic that the legislative the grimness of life on board. window. The crew were terrified, says Christina changes are likely to benefit future crews, “These were people who were earning and Glenn, so they left. As Glenn drove away although it came too late for most of those only $100 a month, some only $50, working with a car-load of frightened interviewees, he was they have interviewed. “But the Bill is the most extremely long hours, having to eat stale bread followed; he took refuge in a side-street at the significant legislative change to be made to the and rotting fish bait,” recalls Glenn. “Or rostered University, where security guards were on patrol. fishing industry since 1996,” says Christina. to give the captain a full body massage until

Ingenio / Autumn 2014 / 25 ALUMNI PROFILE

Just John STORY CATHERINE MASTERS When asked about the influence of Frances he recalls. The family lived “cheek by jowl” with and his late father George, both teachers, John all sorts of intelligence — the neighbours on one Sir John Hood might not be keen on the Sir part is a little fragile himself. This question he takes side were the Bogles. Professor Gordon Bogle of this story. Humility and service are important time to answer, then simply says: “They brought was the founding head of the University of to the former Vice-Chancellor of both Auckland us up to give of our best.” Auckland’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Oxford universities. This is the way he has always functioned. and his brother Gib was a nuclear scientist who “I’m always just John,” he says at our John is so well known for giving of his best that died mysteriously in Australia in the 1960s. For interview in the meeting room of the legend has it that when, as Vice-Chancellor at John, they were inspiring and both were Rhodes deconsecrated synagogue in Princes Street the University of Auckland, he was sent an email Scholars “so in a funny sort of way I think they which is now called University House and is at 3am, the sender was stunned to receive a opened a lens on the Oxford world for me as a home to Alumni Relations and Development at reply within minutes. very young boy, and both my parents would talk the University of Auckland. It is not just hard work John thrives on, but about all of that as well.” “Being knighted (for services to tertiary also on seeing and enabling others to achieve He went on to be plucked from secondary education) doesn’t change you,” he says, their goals, be they students, professors or school for a cadetship at Fletcher Construction, alarmed at the thought. anyone else in the education spectrum. by mentor Jack Smith, who at the age of 89 has He hunches his shoulders a little, speaks softly At 62, the businessman with the keen just published the second volume on the history but clearly, and answers every question put intellect and PhD in civil engineering who was of the Fletcher Construction Company. to him as frankly as he can, though you sense brought in to reform universities, is now heavily John chokes up a little. He has been within the restrictions of that, humility, and also, involved in philanthropic organisations, though privileged, he says, to have had many at times, emotion. his passion for learning remains undiminished. extraordinary mentors throughout his life. Jack “It was a lovely thing to have happened but He is chairman of the Rhodes Trust and went Smith was one; another was Hugh Fletcher, the why would you change?” he says. “Life goes to Oxford University twice — first as a Rhodes former chief executive of Fletcher Challenge. on. But it was a very special thing to go to Scholar in the mid 1970s, then 26 years later During his cadetship vacations were spent with Government House, very lovely. The Governor- as the first outsider to be Vice-Chancellor of the the company, including living in construction General conducted it [the ceremony in August] ancient institution. camps at the Plymouth Power Station and at the with great dignity and made it very special.” As a child, John lived at Ardmore Teachers Tewai Aluminium smelter site. John is now based just outside Oxford — College in Auckland, where he was raised not After attending the University of Auckland the city, not the university — and was in New only among educators and scholars but also as a student, John read for an MPhil in Zealand for the investiture in Auckland and also amidst the fantastic sporting facilities left from management at Oxford University, which in to catch up with his mum, Frances, who is 89 the Commonwealth Games of 1950. essence was economics and industrial sociology. and a little fragile. It was an “extraordinary academic enclave,” This, and the fact of having learned the ALUMNI PROFILE

breadth of how businesses and organisations run Later, he sends through his final oration school, to law and music, architecture and art. during his time at Fletcher Challenge, stood him and an article that was published in British “These people are helping us understand our in good stead when he became Vice-Chancellor magazine The Spectator. society, our community, our legal systems, how of the University of Auckland; and it was while The article is written by author Justin to take mathematics and apply it to the real he was there, from 1999 to 2004, that he was Cartwright, a previous critic of John, and world — and are passing all this learning on to approached to be interviewed for that role at concludes the New Zealander was unmistakably the next generation. Oxford University. the right man for the times: “I owe him an “At the end of the day a university reflects its Attempting to transform the hallowed hallways apology. Oxford owes him both an apology and society and in a sense the society reflects the and pathways of that British university, which he a debt of gratitude.” intellectual leadership that the university gives loves, proved controversial and humbling. He At the end of the five-year fixed term, John felt it. We should all love our universities, they are had wanted to reform the 900-year-old seat of the job was done and it was time to move on. open places, we want people to come in and be learning by including more lay members on the As the appointment was coming to a close, part of them.” Council. Oxford, he says, remains an Athenian he began thinking about what was next. Drawn He stresses the need for philanthropy in democratic model, where all the scholars get to philanthropy and knowing its importance universities, saying Oxford was founded on to vote on all matters. This ultimate parliament for universities, he thought this may be his next philanthropy and its future is dependent upon it. of the University (Oxford is a Charitable move. This is true of Auckland and other New Corporation) was at all times respected, and When American billionaire Julian Robertson Zealand universities as well, he says. changing the self-governance was never an issue. invited him to lunch in London, he went, thinking “The students I would encourage to value — there might be a donation for Oxford. Instead, to put a high value — on their time at university, Robertson asked him to run the Robertson a high value on their pursuit of knowledge and Foundation. He recalls Robertson in effect understanding and also on life’s experience Attempting to transform saying: “I’ve been fortunate to make the money while a student. the hallowed hallways I’ve made and I really want you to help me give “It’s not just the experience of the classroom, it away for the benefit of humanity.” the library and the engagement of your fellow and pathways of that John was hooked. students but it is the opportunity to explore “Julian Robertson said: ‘The family has across the spectrum, from sports to culture to British university, which decided that we want to give the money to the arts to tramping, to all those other things medical science, to conservation, environment that you have that unique one-off time in your he loves, proved and climate change, and to public education life to pursue. reform and improving the lot of young people “Don’t devalue that time because it will never controversial and in schools, and we want you to come and work come back. It’s that one time in your life to with us to do that.’ explore intellectually and explore in every other humbling “Those were all areas which are of primary way. Value it highly.” The proposal was to increase the number of lay interest to me, so this was an opportunity to His message to communities is that trustees in order to diversify the professional think deeply about those areas and about how universities are precious institutions: “Ultimately expertise available to the university and to create you would work with Julian and his family to find society will have the institutions that it wants, an Academic Board below the Council, as was the way for their money to make a difference and I hope that our society wants a wonderful the case when John was at Auckland, and as is over the short, medium and long term in university here in Auckland that can stand proud the case at most universities. those areas; and so to me that’s a wonderful and tall in the world firmament, and if that’s to All his dreams were not achieved and the challenge and very special.” be so then we all have to get behind it.” media coverage was at times harsh — yet behind Robertson, he says, has, ever since, been One of the most moving experiences of his the headlines were many achievements. “entirely consistent in every sense” with that year, he says, is attending selection committee When pressed, John lists some of them — a position. meetings for Rhodes Scholars. Among these are more than doubling of the research income, Nowadays, John’s schedule is to commute students selected from the Mandela Rhodes substantial enhancement of the infrastructure from Oxford to London each week, and Foundation — John met Nelson Mandela three and a rejuvenation of fundraising, with nearly £1 every four or five weeks to fly across on the times and says the late humanitarian had a billion raised during his five-year term. There was “commuter” trip to New York. saintly aura and an elegance. also the creation of an endowment management He is also chair of the Rhodes Trust and a Mandela is just one of the many extraordinary structure, significant tidying up of the finances director or chair of several companies, is on people he has met, he says, but when asked and budgeting model, and considerable the board of the Mandela Rhodes Trust and on surely he can do a little big-noting about this, it’s improvements in governance. other boards, is involved with the Fletcher Trust again clear that’s just not his style. He won’t be “We didn’t achieve what we laid out in our and with Teach for All (The Global Network for doing that, “ever,” he says firmly.  final governance White Paper,” John says, “but in Expanding Educational Opportunity), which is the throes of not achieving it we did achieve a lot now in New Zealand. in terms of improving governance processes and His deep affection for the University of While in Auckland John attended a special celebration at the the institution as well.” Auckland remains. “How can you not love a University. See page 35. The university had good energy by the time place like this?” he asks. he left, he says. If this period was painful, John As at Oxford, there are “phenomenal people LEFT: Dr John Hood at the ceremony of welcome at Oxford University, with Dr Meremere Penfold. On the left is Sir Hugh is not saying. But you sense it was, at times, very doing brilliant work,” from those in anthropology Kawharu and on the right is Sir Colin Lucas, who was John’s painful. and history to mathematics and the medical predecessor as Vice-Chancellor at Oxford.

STUDENT LIFE A PLACE OF safety

Life for Rez Ricardo has been an eventful journey from a refugee camp in Pakistan to an honours degree in Law. Rez is of Kurdish origin and speaks about the importance of identity and the part it has played in her life.

STORY JUDY WILFORD

At the University in 2003 was a conference called “Poetics of exile”. This was an extraordinary event, a gathering of people from within New Zealand and all over the world, many of whom had been forced to leave their countries of origin and create new lives elsewhere. Many were refugees who had fled persecution; most were exceptionally high achievers, academically and artistically. The focus of the conference was on their achievements, not on the hardships they had faced; but what emerged from the stories of speaker after speaker was that those achievements had arisen directly from the challenges that had shaped their lives. The experience of exile had forged their identities and driven their determination to live and contribute in meaningful ways. The same can be said of Rez Ricardo, an Auckland student of Kurdish ancestry who was born in a refugee camp in Pakistan and came to New Zealand with her parents and older brother and sister at the age of six. “My family made a commitment to leave their home in Kurdistan,” says Rez, “and their main reason was for our education and safety. I just feel it would be such a waste if we didn’t achieve anything through it. New Zealand has been good to us as refugees. R ez has “a great bunch of friends”, a strong This was the destruction of the World Trade I’ve been let into this country, I’ve been allowed interest in her studies and an exciting career Centre in New York in 2001. “When 9/11 to stay here, I’ve been given an education and it ahead. However it hasn’t always been easy happened things got really bad. Children at would be wrong not to make use of it.” — and some of the challenges still remain. that age can be really nasty and they just made Already Rez is achieving well. As a conjoint When she started school without a word of an assumption — ‘you look different, you must student in Law and Arts she has completed English (which was her fourth language — and be one of them’. I tried to explain: ‘No, the her double major in Criminology and Political her fourth alphabet — after Kurdish, Farsi, same thing’s happening to us. We’re victims of Studies and was admitted this year to the and Urdu) she remembers “feeling like I really terrorists. We’re not on their side.’ But the most honours stream in Law; she was selected in didn’t belong, and couldn’t communicate with terrible irony was that when the war with Iraq summer to be a human rights intern in Nairobi anyone”. However, as time moved on, “it was began, the other children associated me with for the United Nations Human Settlements OK for a while. Once I learned English I settled Saddam Hussein. That was the very hardest Programme (UN Habitat) — the first New in better.” thing because my grandmother was killed in the Zealander ever to be invited and the first Identified as a gifted child in primary school, attacks in which Saddam Hussein used chemical undergraduate; and this summer she has been she was placed in accelerated streams and was weapons on the Kurdish people of Iraq.” invited to do a summer clerkship with Chapman flying ahead in her learning. But then something For a while after that, Rez retired into a bitter, Tripp, which she describes as “the premier law happened that was outside of her control but defensive silence, reluctant to acknowledge firm in New Zealand”. made her adjustment suddenly much harder. her origins. “I went through this phase where I ALUMNI PROFILE

started to deny where I was from and just tried Office ... the feeling of being valued in that feasting in the Kurdish style. This first event, to be as Kiwi as I could. If people asked me identity, being able to express it and to feel filmed by Noble Pictures for an episode in a where I was from, I’d ask them to guess and safe and secure. It’s really what all our work is documentary series called Both Worlds (later then I’d just say ‘Yes, that’s where I’m from’, about.” shown on TV3), proved a great success and has because I didn’t feel like explaining. So for a Rez agrees that her Kurdish origins are a been followed by others. The Facebook page for while I was trying to fight my identity.” “hugely important” part of her identity. the young Kurds now has 555 friends. However, as Rez got older, she began Though Kurdish people are living in the lands For Rez, this year has brought another serious researching her Kurdish heritage: reading, they have inhabited for many centuries, the challenge of a kind that is sadly not unusual watching documentaries, and paying close area known as Kurdistan is divided by national among refugees from regions torn by war. attention to what was happening when she boundaries, with Kurdish communities located In early August the city of Erbil, capital of attended Kurdish events with her parents. Her in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. As Rez points out, the Kurdish region of Iraq, was catapulted into interest was aroused when she went back to since the Kurds don’t have a sovereign state, the news with reports of its Kurdish population Kurdistan on a visit with her mother at the age it is dependent on the people to maintain the giving safe haven to the Kurdish Yezidi and of 14, to see her relatives in the Kurdish regions culture: “If the Kurdish culture disappeared from Christian people from Şingal, who were under of Turkey, Iraq and Iran: “Going there opened the world, I would be from nowhere,” she says. attack from the ISIS militant forces. Since then my eyes and I really loved the culture and the the conflict has escalated, with the end not yet people. I began to realise that my difference is in sight, and with the Kurdish people perilously what makes me who I am.” I went through this close to the battle lines. For Rez and her family Finally, at the age of about 17, Rez “started this is not just a story they follow on the news, to find the courage to tell people where I was phase where I started to but a source of enormous anxiety and personal from”. And that was also what prompted distress. her determination to make a career in law, deny where I was from Erbil is the birthplace of Rez’s father. She still “because of the injustices, the human rights has family living there, including grandparents, breaches, all of those things that have happened and just tried to be as aunts, uncles and extended family. For this in my life and that I was only just beginning to Kiwi as I could reason she has been working very hard in recent understand. months to help raise international awareness "Now I’m at University and am around The older Kurdish people in New Zealand of the crisis for the Kurdish people of Iraq, intellectual people and smart, understanding place strong value on their origins. in the words including helping to organise a peaceful March people, I love talking about where I’m from of Rez’s father: “One piece of my heart is here on 23 August. because they love asking questions. It’s a very and the other is there.” But some of the younger When I spoke to Rez, she had just handed different experience to earlier years.” ones, in embracing New Zealand life, risk losing in her honours thesis in Law; the topic was Recently the University, recognising that both the rich culture their parents left behind. And “Kurdish genocide”. She says that she students and staff from refugee backgrounds this, says Rez, means a loss of identity and of a will always follow the dream of a free and (SSRB) are likely to face extra challenges and sense of cultural diversity that has added great independent Kurdistan — and that human may require particular support, has been richness to her own life and values. It is for this rights is a passion she will continue to pursue, assessing these requirements and developing reason that, with another Kurdish student, she whatever path she follows in her legal career. policies and strategies to address these issues. decided to mobilise a group of young people Rez acknowledges many young refugees face to encourage cultural activities, commencing LEFT: Rez (centre) helping raise the profile for Kurdish people. considerable hardship and often need help in with a big event featuring dancing, singing and BELOW: Celebrating the culture. reaching the goals they aspire to: “Looking at a lot of statistics, refugees tend not to do so well.” At the moment it is not known how many students from refugee backgrounds are enrolled at the University of Auckland. However, from 2015, students from refugee backgrounds will be able to apply for entry to the University through the Undergraduate Targeted Admissions Scheme, which also includes provisions for Māori, Pacific people and those with disabilities. References to SSRB have been incorporated in the University’s Policy, and the University’s Equity Office has established a relationship with the Auckland Refugee Community Coalition. The Equity Office is working to develop and pilot training courses to enhance understanding among staff and is developing relationships with the main provider schools. “One of our objectives,” says Dr Terence O’Neil, Director of Student Equity, “is to ensure that people feel secure in their identities. Identity is crucial for everyone we deal with in the Equity ALUMNI ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS EVENTS International November to December 2014 alumni MONTH EVENT VENUE Network Nov 27 O’Rorke Hall 65th Reunion O’Rorke Hall CONNECTING ALUMNI Dec 2 Society AGM/Christmas function Old Government House AND FRIENDS If you live in or near any of the areas January to May 2015 below and would like to be involved with 2015 Live conversation with 2015 Distinguished Alumni Maidment Theatre local alumni, we encourage you to make March 13 distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner Alumni Marquee, OGH lawn contact with your Volunteer Alumni Co- March 25 Tauranga Alumni and Friends Lunch TBC ordinator (VAC). If you would like to consider April 20 Shanghai Alumni and Friends Reception TBC being a VAC for your area, then please contact [email protected] for further April 22 beijing Alumni and Friends Reception TBC information. April 23 Hong Kong Alumni and Friends Reception TBC May 7 Graduation Concerto Competition Auckland Town Hall AUSTRALIA May 19 Melbourne Alumni and Friends Reception TBC Melbourne May 20 Sydney Alumni and Friends Reception TBC Craig Vickery [email protected] May 21 brisbane Alumni and Friends Reception TBC Sydney Meili Han [email protected] We need your help! CHINA We need some great venues for our networking events. We love holding our events in interesting Beijing 1 venues in the central city area. If you have any great venue suggestions for any of the events listed Vivian (Yang) Jiao [email protected] above please contact event manager Karen Thompson [email protected] Beijing 2 Don’t miss out on an invite to network Joy (Fengxin) Ding [email protected] For more information or to ensure you receive an invitation to an event being held in your area Hong Kong Jeffrey Pong [email protected] please visit www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/update to update your details. Shanghai Vincent Cheung [email protected] O’RORKE HALL 65th REUNION EUROPE Scandinavia Duncan Lithgow – [email protected] Join in our celebration of 65 years of O’Rorke Hall on Thursday 27 November 2014. We’re excited to invite you to join your fellow O’Rorkians to catch up with friends, celebrate successes and remember INDONESIA shared experiences as residents of O’Rorke Hall. Jakarta 1 Craig Hansen [email protected] The evening will be focused on reconnecting and reminiscing with hall tours and photos and Jakarta 2 memorabilia on display. Mardian Marsono [email protected] Register online at www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/ORorkeHallReunion. For more information contact Jakarta 3 [email protected] or phone Claudia Bell on 09 923 9935. David O’Brien [email protected] MALAYSIA Kuala Lumpur REUNIONS 2015 reconnect / celebrate / remember KC Yong [email protected] SOUTH AMERICA Carlos Tirado [email protected] MB BCh 2015Reunion– registrations are now open USA New York 29 and 30 May 2015 Erica Chan [email protected] On Queen’s Birthday weekend next year medical school graduates from 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, Philadelphia 1995, 2000 and 2005 will have the opportunity to catch up with their graduation year group, tour Nai-Wei Shih [email protected] the purpose-built facilities and hear the latest faculty news from the dean. The weekend begins with Texas Jyoti Maisuria [email protected] Friday night drinks at the Grafton Campus. On the Saturday morning each year group will host its own break-out session and take tours of the new campus. The reunion ends with individual class San Francisco - Tanja Srebotnjak Tanja.Srebotnjak@ecologic. dinners on the Saturday night. If you are interested in helping coordinate your year group, including institute.us your class dinner, visit www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/reunion-2015 for more information about the NEW ZEALAND reunion or contact Rachel Jefferies: +64 9 923 3566 or [email protected]. Auckland - University of Auckland Future MBChB reunions will be held during Queen’s Birthday weekend for the following Society graduating year groups [email protected] Chinese Alumni in Auckland 2016 3 and 4 June: 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 Rachel Yang [email protected] 2017 2 and 3 June: 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007 2018 1 and 2 June: 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 ALUMNI ALUMNI PROFILE

Celebrating success! 2015 University of Auckland Distinguished Alumni Award Winners Announced! All awardees have confirmed their acceptance and attendance at Auckland Live! and the Distinguished Alumni Awards dinner in March 2015. They are: Sir Russell Coutts KNZM, CBE, Engineering (Competitive sailor, won the America’s Cup five times) Bruce Plested, Education (Director Mainfreight) Mr Bryan Williams CNZM, Law (Pacific leader, ex All Black) Professor Christine Winterbourn CNZM, Science (Professor of Pathology, University of Otago) Want a closer Mrs Joan Withers, Business (Business leader, Deputy Chair Board of TVNZ, Chairwoman of Mighty River Power) relationship with Fady Mishriki (Young Alumnus of the year), Business and Engineering (Entrepreneur). your alma mater? Join the University of Auckland Society at www.society.auckland.ac.nz. To purchase your tickets to the dinner on Friday 13 March 2015 online please visit : To download Society Salon Series audio recordings on WW100 and NZ Art please visit www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz www.society.auckland.ac.nz Live conversation with 2015 Distinguished Alumni The popular Distinguished Alumni showcase is back on 12 March 2015, bringing you an exciting, up-close and personal experience with six of New Zealand’s most successful Update your University of Auckland alumni. Don’t miss this candid, entertaining evening with the winners of the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Awards - six high-achieving and internationally successful Visit detailswww.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/selfservice now alumni in the fields of competitive sailing, rugby, business, biological chemistry and to update your details so we can keep you in the wireless technology design, all hosted by Qantas Media Award winner and alumnus Finlay loop with reunion planning. Macdonald. Mark 12 March in your diary now, and visit www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz for more information and to purchase tickets.

The Best of Peru & Ecuador 18 day small group tour to the lands of the ancient Inca

Explore Lima, the colonial city of Arequipa, the vast Colca Canyon, the reed islands of Lake Titicaca, Cuzco and the Sacred Valley, the ‘lost city’ of Machu Picchu in Peru, then ﬂ y to Ecuador for the stunning city of Quito, the colourful Otavalo markets, and cruise the Galapagos Islands. Choose from 11 departure dates in 2015, priced from $8720 per person (twin) - just add ﬂ ights from NZ.

Call your Travel Agent, or World Journeys, for a brochure now! [email protected] 0800 11 73 11 www.worldjourneys.co.nz Ingenio / Spring 2014 / 31 ALUMNIALUMNI ACHIE PROFILEVERS

high performer to change the energy of the music. We showed this by setting our performance in a magical Pianist and current honours student, Liam land called Darte.” Wooding (BMus 2013) spent this year’s semester break at Saratoga Springs in New York State learning how to improve the relationship between performer and audience. We made associations with He is the first student of the arts/creative magical creatures such as arts to be selected for the University’s High Performance Student Support Programme wizards and dragons and was funded by the Vice Chancellor’s Arts Support Fund to do the summer programme at One of the challenges was to use activities the Decoda/Skidmore Chamber Music Institute. to present different levels of engagement and At Decoda students learn how to engage content and achieve a balance between the their audiences and communities on a deeper activities, talking and playing, to engage the level through scripted interactive chamber children’s attention: “We made associations music performances, while improving their own with magical creatures such as wizards and performance and public speaking skills. dragons and we compared for example, One of the sessions for Liam and his group ‘sforzando’ (a sighing emphasis on a note), to — a quartet of piano, violin, cello and clarinet the huffing of a dragon’s breath.” — was to perform to an audience of young “We would play a bit and then talk about children, six to nine years. Their piece, Tempest it, play a bit more and give them activities to Fantasy by Paul Moravec, was inspired by do,” says Liam. “Towards the end we told them Shakespeare’s The Tempest. they had unlocked the secrets to the magical Says Liam. “For us the work’s defining feature land and as a reward we would play the whole was how different elements were manipulated movement to them.”

Melody from the heart

Professor Uwe Grodd from the School of Music Melody described her current work: “In 2008 asked some questions of alumna Dr Melody Lin I became an Artistic Teacher in flute at the (MMus 2007, Doctor of Musical Arts 2011), a University of Auckland. I believe teaching and former student who is now a colleague — and a learning go hand in hand. Through explaining successful performer. and demonstrating to the students, I also Melody speaks of her early life: “I was born strengthen my own playing and reinforce the in Taiwan and started to learn piano when I fundamental skills. was seven. We didn’t have money to buy a “I direct the University’s flute ensemble, the piano at first, so I used to practice on a piece Magic Flutes NZ, and have been an associate of cardboard keyboard my mum made. Then player with the Auckland Philharmonia I upgraded to a toy keyboard and finally to a Orchestra since 2006. I have completed Yamaha upright piano, which my parents still a two-month contract with the APO as an keep in their house now. associate principal flute, and sometimes “I remember being drawn to music from a played as a principal flute. I have also had a young age. I didn’t want to go to school because long relationship with the Manukau Symphony I wanted to stay home to practice piano all Orchestra as a principal flute and I had the day. One day I went to a flute concert and was exciting opportunity this year to play in the New hooked with this beautiful instrument straight Zealand Symphony Orchestra for the first time away. However, I didn’t get a chance to start my on a nationwide tour. flute lessons until I moved to New Zealand with “I feel so privileged being a musician. I believe my family at the age of 15. music is a universal language and is able to “I completed my BMus(Hons) in flute uplift humanity. performance at the Sydney Conservatorium in “During a good performance, I feel a real 2001. I later studied flute with Professor Uwe connection with other musicians and audiences. Grodd, completing MMus in 2007, then Doctor When I play the flute I feel I am giving a portion of Musical Arts in 2011. of my soul.”

32 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 ALUMNI ACHIEVERS

live leadership issues and questions, and about scientific research, especially in his own field Out there engaging people in the shared leadership work of environmental science. “You have to have that affects them and their organisations.” an ecologist, perhaps a chemist, maybe an Nathaniel is an environmental scientist anthropologist, a social geographer, even an doing it with Golder Associates, an environmental economist. And if you’re pulling all that together,

STORY JANE BRADLEY AND JUDY WILFORD and engineering consultancy, which recruited insights need to come from several places. him immediately after he gained his PhD in That’s where leadership comes in.” Environmental Science from the University Participating in the leadership programme of Auckland in 2009. Since then he has also has changed Nathaniel’s mindset in a The most important “take home” message completed 18 months’ postdoctoral research productive way. for Dr Nathaniel Wilson from the 2014 at the Universität Bayreuth in Germany as the “Leadership means being able to give up Leadership Mindset Programme was how recipient of a generous Alexander Humboldt power, to accept that you don’t and can’t have to segment problems in order to solve them, Fellowship from the German Government. all the answers. It has to be a collaborative taking into account the views and needs of At Golder Associates Nathaniel helps clients process in which you learn, listen and bring the different people involved. to reduce their environmental impact. He together different perspectives. It’s about At the core of this is gaining an has recently been part of a managed aquifer making sure that everyone’s on board before understanding that management and recharge feasibility study for Gisborne District moving forward with an idea. leadership are not the same thing. Council, to assist in enhancing the quality and “A leader is a person who can help bring Says Nathaniel: “Most people assume, as I quantity of a heavily-used aquifer. His role about change without antagonising people. did in the past, that to solve a problem what was to determine what might go wrong when “I now know you can lead anywhere and in you need is technical expertise — provided by waters of differing chemistry are mixed, so that many ways, even if it’s just by ‘inspecting the professionals such as scientists or engineers — any potential problems could be identified and foundations’. The course reminded me that even combined with good management skills coming solved at the pilot study stage. seemingly solid ideas are worth challenging, so I in on top of that. challenge things.” “However, I now understand that this leaves ‘a void’ in the decision-making process. The next Leadership Mindset Programme is Leadership is needed as well. And the purpose I realise now you can be March to June 2015. For more information go of leadership is to solve the really difficult to www.nzli.co.nz problems that sometimes can’t be solved simply a good manager without or contact [email protected] with technical skills and good management techniques. being a brilliant leader... The University of Auckland Alumni Leadership “I realise now you can be a good manager Throughout his career Nathaniel has Fellowship will be offered again next year. The without being a brilliant leader and that the been keen to “take advantage of chance closing date for applications is 11 February, 2015. same applies in reverse.” opportunities” — and he does seem to be Nathaniel was the winner of a scholarship a person who attracts them. He has been jointly awarded by Alumni Relations and the taken by helicopter to the Rena shipwreck; has New Zealand Leadership Institute (NZLI) at the gathered samples of water hotter than 300 University of Auckland to create an opportunity degrees from geothermal power stations.; for an alumnus to participate in the NZLI’s 2014 has assisted the team of GNS scientists who March to May Leadership Mindset Programme. rediscovered the submerged pink and white They were looking for a mid-career graduate terraces; and has even met the German who was “out there doing it”, already building President. professional expertise and keen to develop However, one of “the greatest thrills of his life” leadership thinking and practices. was camping beside an extinct volcano in the The selection panel chose Nathaniel from middle of the Ross Sea in Antarctica — thrilling 300 applicants as they thought he was at “because it’s so different and terrifying. You the right stage of his career to grapple with feel the amazing power of nature. It’s totally the leadership programme’s concepts and to alien. People are not meant to live there. You’re experiment with them in his everyday work. uncomfortable throughout the time you’re there, Fiona Kennedy, NZLI lead programme but then when you return to New Zealand, you’d facilitator says: “The Leadership Mindset go back there in a heartbeat.” Programme, like other NZLI programmes, is Nathaniel believes the qualities required for not primarily focused on personal development good leadership are also needed for successful for people in formal leadership roles. It’s about

Ingenio / Autumn 2014 / 33 ALUMNI PROFILE

Robin’s hope was that everyone who has aphasia would be able to receive the kind of help he had received. By supporting community programmes like the CBR Gavel Club and mentor, and a volunteer speech language Speaking therapist. Members’ quality of communication encouraging the Speech before and after participating in the CBR Gavel Club is measured using a scale devised Science health from the by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. This data has shown positive results. professionals of heart “Put simply, research shows that if we want to improve our talking skills, we need to talk,” tomorrow, the Trust STORY HELEN BORNE says the Director of Speech Science, Professor Suzanne Purdy, who has a 30-year research can enable so many more Aphasia, “the silent disability”, affects career spanning psychology, audiology and people to be understood thousands of New Zealanders every year, speech science. leaving them unable to speak. Funding The Speech Science Department sits within from the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia the School of Psychology in the Faculty of Science in the UK is giving hope to people with and recently celebrated its tenth birthday. It is aphasia and encouraging students to the fastest growing speech science programme pursue careers in speech language therapy in New Zealand, with an increasing number of through the University of Auckland. postgraduate students. For the past five years The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia was founded an annual Tavistock Trust for Aphasia Award has in 1992 as a “living legacy” to the late Robin been presented to one University of Auckland Tavistock, the 14th Duke of Bedford. A stroke in Master of Speech Language Therapy Practice 1988 left him unable to access language. With graduate who has completed an outstanding support from family and friends and intensive piece of work in the field of aphasia. speech therapy he slowly began to recover but Last year’s winner, Marie Ualesi, says she continued to experience difficulty in finding the feels very humbled and honoured to have words he wanted to use. received an award at such a level. “I had no In Auckland, the Trust supports a community idea that my supervisor, Dr Elaine Ballard, and outreach programme called the CBR Gavel co-supervisor, Dr Clare McCann, had nominated Club, which is an affiliate of Toastmasters me.” International. Like the Trust’s founder and Marie’s research was titled “Stroke and benefactor, members of the CBR Gavel Club all aphasia awareness in the New Zealand Samoan have aphasia and live each day struggling to community: caregiver and family perspectives”. find words. She has since presented it at the Growing Pacific “Members typically arrive at their first Solutions 2014 Conference. Marie is working meeting with huge fears and self doubt,” says as a Speech Language Therapist for Home speech language therapist Celia Moore. “The Health Care at Counties Manukau Health, most powerful and inspirational feature of the working with adults and older people who have club is the group’s mutual support and respect. communication or swallowing difficulties. Members boost each other’s self-confidence and “After completing my research work and propel each other to a new speaking level.” joining the workforce, I often reflect on my The Auckland club has been running for work practice, how I communicate and offer ABOVE: Tavistock Trust for Aphasia Award recipient, two years through a collaboration between information, provide intervention and gain Marie Ualesi, with Senior Lecturer in Psychology and the University’s Speech Science Department, the best outcomes for clients, families and expert on aphasia, Dr Clare McCann its Centre for Brain Research (CBR), Master of caregivers,” she says. TOP: CBR More Than Words Gavel Club member, Speech Language Therapy Practice students, Jenni Webb the local AM Toastmasters club, a Toastmasters

34 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 DEVELOPMENT

Sir John and his wife Emma arrived at academic exchanges. Of these, 83 have been University House, which he officially opened in visits to our university by esteemed academics 2003, to be welcomed by recipients of Hood from around the world, and 24 by outstanding Fellowships, philanthropists, supporters and individuals from our own ranks who have senior staff of the University. The group included visited colleagues in similar leading institutions Professor Rosemary Bailey and Professor overseas. Hood Fellowships were announced at Peter Cameron, both experts in algebra and the event for 11 academics. combinatorics, who were visiting Auckland on Hood Fellowships from the University of London. For information about the new Hood Sir John spoke of the vital role that the Hood Fellows and Fellowship visit www. Fellowships play in advancing the University’s uoafoundation.org.nz international reputation. He also highlighted the importance of philanthropy in the University’s LEFT: Sir John Hood arrives at University House with future and thanked the large community of his wife Emma.

Tenth benefactors who support the institution. He BELOW: Murray Reade, representing The Lion Foundation; encouraged a sense of participation and shared the Chair of the University of Auckland Foundation, Geoff anniversary of “ownership” in the University through energetic Ricketts; and Pravir Tesiram at the celebration. engagement with our communities of interest. “Institutions are a reflection of their societies; societies, in turn, reflect their institutions.” STORYHood HELEN BORNE Fellowships Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon and the Chair of the University of Auckland Former Vice-Chancellor Sir John Hood Foundation, Geoff Ricketts, paid tribute to Sir was guest of honour at an event in John’s leadership and the ongoing impact August to celebrate the first decade of the of the Hood Fellowship Programme. The University’s Hood Fellowships programme Fellowships were established to mark the former and Sir John’s investiture in Wellington the Vice-Chancellor’s outstanding contribution to previous week. the University of Auckland. Since 2004, the programme has enabled 107 international

Enhance your creative practice Applications for postgraduate study are now open for:

Architecture Dance Studies Fine Arts Music Urban Design Urban Planning

Apply now creative.auckland.ac.nz Ingenio / Autumn 2014 / 35 ALUMNI PROFILE

Suzanne saw a show by the Touch Compass Dance Company — and decided to start dancing. “It all happened quite suddenly,” she says, “I went from doing a workshop to being in a show.” She joined the company for a season as a professional dancer, and was then offered a role with the London-based CandoCo Company, for which she danced, taught and toured for three and a half years. Suzanne’s personal philosophy is to seize opportunities that come her way. “Each little step is a build to the next step. It sometimes looks like a leap but there are gradual steps that help prepare for the next thing.”

Having had the experience of a radical shift in physical status, I’m interested in how the world responds to that

She gives credit to the performance element in her role with Attitude TV for giving her a “confidence around performance” that eventually saw her become a dancer and choreographer. But it is her “natural curiosity”, a mainstay of her journalism, that is now driving her energy for study. She also regards her study as part of a “I’m interested in people and enjoy Let’s greater opportunity to challenge ideas about investigating, researching and ‘meaning- being in a “body that’s in control. making’.” “We have this illusion of a closed fixed body “Having had the experience of a radical shift dance! and a closed fixed identity but it’s much more in my physical status, I’m interested in how the fluid and it’s much more permeable and those world responds to that. I don’t essentially feel STORY KATE PITCHER boundaries are a lot looser than what we’re any difference, but the way I’m treated shifts often comfortable with.” and I’m interested in why that is.” Suzanne Cowan, who is studying toward For her PhD Suzanne is exploring universal A good incentive for study, she says, is “living a PhD in Dance Studies, recalls a “golden themes of human vulnerability, with a strong in a society that disables people who mobilise moment” when touring with CandoCo, the focus on the relationship between vulnerability in non-normative ways. British mixed ability dance company she and disability. “Even though I identify as being disabled belonged to for more than three years. This is something she knows more about that’s more of a political statement. I don’t “I remember sitting towards the back of the than most. After a successful stint working as identify as having a disability, that’s constructed. stage watching the other dancers, waiting for a journalist and studying in Christchurch, the “As we age we all become impaired to some my next move and just loving the magic of it.” then 22-year-old Suzanne travelled to Canada extent. That is the nature of mortality. I’m really Suzanne can’t remember which out of 24 on a Student Abroad Programme and was in interested in how society marginalises impaired countries they were performing in, but finds it a car accident in which she lost the use of her people. I want to raise questions about the easy to remember “the magic: that beautiful legs. assumptions we make and the value we place synergy between a company of dancers when The experience broadened her perspective on diversity.” everyone is super focused and just doing their and sent her off in a new direction. Now using The former journalist and the dancer both thing. Everyone looks so beautiful and there a wheelchair, she returned to study, completing play a part in Suzanne’s research: “Dancers is an amazing feeling of appreciation to be a BA in history and a diploma in film and TV think and the body thinks. There are so many performing at this level.” before working for three years as a director, possibilities of body knowledge that we explore As a seasoned performer, Suzanne says reporter and presenter on Attitude TV — a as a dancer; it’s really rich territory.” her enjoyment of dance (“it can be incredibly show which featured the lives of people with addictive”) was one of the reasons she decided disabilities. Photo: Suzanne Cowan (right) with Emilia Rubio (Touch Compass Dance Company) performing Pharmakos. Photo to study for a higher degree. It was at this stage of her career that John McDermott

36 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 ALUMNI PROFILE Gifted STORY LINDA TYLER

Many people will have seen the 2013 award- winning movie Herb and Dorothy: 50 x 50 where an elderly American couple decided to donate 50 works from their collection to an art museum in each of 50 states.

Loving art and cherishing their friendships with artists, they managed to create one of the most important post-1960 collections of minimalist and conceptual art in private hands. Herbert and Dorothy Vogel lived in a rent- controlled apartment in New York City and amassed 4,782 works over their lifetimes. Living frugally, they used Dorothy’s income as a librarian to cover their living expenses while spending Herb’s postman’s salary (which peaked at $23,000) to buy art, often paying in instalments. Once they received a collage from the environmental artist Christo in exchange for cat-sitting. In 1992 they decided to give the whole collection to the National Gallery of Art in Washington because it charged no admission and does not sell donated works. The local equivalent of Herb and Dorothy her retirement, a Matisse-like congregation of Art History Department. Similarly, the widow of were Marie (1911-2005) and Alfons Blaschke blocks of deep purple made by Ralph Hotere, is John Read, son of the famous English art critic 1906-2002), who emigrated to New Zealand as now very valuable because of its rarity. It was Herbert Read, recently gifted a small painting refugees from Hitler’s Germany in the 1940s, displayed at the Gus Fisher Gallery as part of by expatriate painter Felix Kelly, who was the bringing Marie’s father Eugen Vandewart’s the exhibition Gifted: Works donated to the subject of a book and exhibition curated by art folio of prints. From 1962-1975, Marie taught University of Auckland Art Collection. historian Dr Donald Bassett. Denis O’Connor’s cello in the University’s Music Department and, The curator of the exhibition was a student sculpture commemorates the early death of convinced of the relationship between art and in the ARTHIST 734 Art Writing and Curatorial his archaeologist daughter Blaze, who was a music, began displaying prints by contemporary Practice postgraduate class, María-Constanza graduate from the University of Auckland, but NZ artists such as Colin McCahon and Toss Labra-Odde, who selected 16 works for is also a tribute to English Department poet Woollaston to inspire students and staff. One inclusion. As a public programme to accompany Michele Leggott, who is losing her sight. of the prints she gifted to the Art Collection on the exhibition, she convened a panel discussion Koha is the name given to the principle for the University of Auckland Society members, of reciprocity which is a common feature of where two of the artists, Gregory O’Brien and Māori culture. Being given a gift carries the Billy Apple, talked with Professor Elizabeth expectation that you will cherish and return Rankin (Art History) about their motivations for it. In the case of the University of Auckland gifting their works to the collection. They both art collection, works are being preserved for spoke of the power of art to influence lives, and the study and enjoyment of cohorts of staff admired the way that the University’s collection and students to come, while being researched is a distributed one, constantly on display, giving and interpreted by each generation afresh. A students from every background a first-hand catalogue, with an essay by María-Constanza experience with contemporary and historical art. Labra-Odde and sponsored by the University of Families and artists have often given art Auckland Society, is available free to members works to the collection in memory of someone of the Society, $10 for non-members. Email who has died. A print on linen of Māori rock [email protected] for copies. drawings by A.R.D. Fairburn was given by the poet’s children after his untimely death in 1957. Gus Fisher bequeathed one of the treasures Above: Felix Kelly (1914-1994) Three Sisters, 1942, oil on paper, gifted by Louise Coate Read in John Read’s of his art collection, a painting of a blacksmith memory, 2013 working in Dunedin by Girolamo Nerli, in recognition of the research carried out into the Left: Girolamo Nerli (1860-1926), The Blacksmith, C.1894, artist’s life by Professor Michael Dunn of the oil on canvas, bequeathed by Gus Fisher, 2010

Ingenio / Spring 2014 / 37 READ WATCH LISTEN

Broken Hallelujah

By day Dean Carruthers works as a photographer and is well-known around the University for Broken Hallelujah, which was inspired by the as in still photography but you expand on them his work on its publications, including Ingenio. Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah", tells three profoundly, and I love the collaboration." Readers will remember his cover for the last issue, interwoven stories of love, marriage, friendship, Broken Hallelujah was mainly shot on or near featuring four-year-old Kaea from the Growing Up mistakes and imperfections, and the precious Auckland’s west coast beaches, making use in New Zealand study. fragility of relationships. of the changing qualities of light in different But come nights and weekends, Dean has Though Alastair, Dean and Vanessa have weather and at different times of day — not only another life as an actor and cinematographer, previously made a short film together called to accentuate the beauty of the landforms, says working with singer/songwriter Alastair Riddell Last Stop, set mainly in the steam train that Alastair, but also, "to highlight the existential (an alumnus of the University of Auckland) and travels "out west" (of Auckland), this is the first themes that underpin the stories". writer/producer Vanessa Cohen-Riddell, who has feature the three have made together, with The three have made another film, Cowboy also studied at the University. Alastair as director, Dean as cinematographer, now in post-production, with two more at the Now you can see the fruits of their and Vanessa as writer/producer. Both Dean planning stage. They have had no external collaboration in the New Zealand film Broken (seen above) and Vanessa acted in the film and funding and worked with limited resources, but Hallelujah, which had its world premiere at the Alastair assisted with cinematography. "people are very generous", says Alastair, and Victoria Cinema in Devonport, Auckland, and “There has been something very special support has included exchanges of services opened mid-October at the Rialto in Newmarket about learning how to make a film from start and expertise. "What you learn when you do it and at 23 cinemas nationwide. to finish,” says Dean. "You use the same skills yourself is that you have to create solutions.”

Purgatory had the feeling of a “playful presence”. “I thought: ‘This young man should come Many of us know of shadowy secrets in the home with me.’ And he became the hero of my history of our families. story.” But for writer and alumna Rosetta Allan (BA Ten-year-old John Finnegan now lives on 2009) her family history is more tragic than for as the main character in Rosetta’s first novel, most of us. Purgatory. As the lively and appealing narrator Four members of the Finnegan family, the introduced in its first pages, he tells a vivid and first of her ancestors to arrive in New Zealand engrossing story with a powerful emotional from Ireland, died on 27 September 1865 at punch — of his life after death, with his mothers the hands of a murderer who was later hanged. and brothers, caught between the worlds of When Rosetta set out to learn about these the living and the dead — and later, of his life murders and about what had happened to her alone, finding companionship where he could: family members, she found that the four had "Day in, day out, the same thing happens. I been attacked in their sleep, and their bodies play with Harvey and Harvey doesn’t know I’m had been buried in the back garden of the there. At least at night the animals can see me. family cottage in Otahuhu. I like the nights when the weather is calm and She also learned they had lain there for the stars are clear." several months before being discovered and Purgatory, published this year by Penguin that the body of ten-year-old John had not been Group (NZ) is a remarkable first novel, found for another four years. described by fellow writer and University of Visiting the place where the house had Auckland alumna, Paula Morris, as "vivid and stood, Rosetta heard from neighbours that the engrossing, a novel about the brutal truths ghost of John had figured in local folklore all of our history, the shadowy secrets of our through the years. Hearing the stories, Rosetta unwritten story".

38 / Ingenio / Spring 2014 BOOKS / FILMS / RECORDINGS

A Treasury of NZ Poetry a series of BWB Texts. These are "short books She is working the night shift at a petrol for Children on big subjects", available in digital format and station to save up to take her younger brother covering history, memoir and contemporary Pīwakawaka to Surfer’s Paradise in Australia R eleased just issues by New Zealand writers, including to find their father. In a way that is essentially last month is a Maurice Gee and Jane Kelsey. local as well as terribly sad and moving, the film children’s poetry Barefoot Years is the first part of a fuller explores issues of love, identity and belonging. anthology that memoir to be published by Bridget Williams Editor Richard Shaw, a graduate of the might well be a Books next year. University of Auckland, says it was the first classic one day. feature for many of those who worked on it, Edited including director Curtis Vowell and scriptwriter by alumna Landscapes of the Soul Sophie Henderson (below), who also played the Paula Green, leading part. illustrated by This new recording of Lyell Cresswell’s Piano Fantail showed in cinemas earlier this year Jenny Cooper, Concerto and Concerto for Orchestra and String and is now available on DVD/Blu-Ray. and published Quartet (Naxos 8.573199), featuring the New by Random House NZ, A Treasury of NZ Poems Zealand Symphony Orchestra, was conducted for Children, is a lively, beautifully-presented and by Hamish carefully-curated hard-backed collection of New McKeich. Zealand poems for and by children. Among its This piano authors are all the big names — from Margaret concerto was VIDEOS FOR INGENIO Mahy and Hone Tuwhare to Joy Cowley and Bill written in 2011 Manhire — as well as some exciting new poets. for pianist A new venture for the producers of Ingenio is The Treasury includes poems by more than Stephen De to create short videos to complement some 20 New Zealand children. Paula ran "A First Pledge, an of the stories. These are now on the website Fabulous Poetry Competition" nationwide and, alumnus of for you to view, and we would be delighted to with Random House, selected 21 poems from the University receive your thoughts, ideas and feedback. around 2000 entries. and a senior The video made for this issue, filmed at A hotspot poetry tour of New Zealand marked lecturer in the School of Music, who has since Kelly Tarlton’s in Auckland by the filmmakers the publication of the book, with events held in performed it in Glasgow, Wellington, Auckland from the University's Media Productions bookshops, libraries, local halls and beaches. For and Christchurch. It has been broadcast live on Department, is about Riley Elliot, the “shark more information on the tour, visit nzpoetrybox. BBC Radio 3 and Radio New Zealand Concert. man”. Riley is a PhD student at the University wordpress.com The work was written in memory of a close and a passionate spokesman for conservation friend of the composer who died in 2009, and it of sharks. (Read his opinion piece on page juxtaposes meditative and personal reflections 12 and see the video on the Ingenio website: Barefoot Years with moments of ferocious virtuosity from soloist www.ingenio-magazine.com) and orchestra. Previous videos featured interviews with What’s the participants in the University’s “Growing first thing you Up in New Zealand” study, with Dr Rae de remember? F antAIL Lisle from the School of Music and with Dr This is the Marama Muru-Lanning from the Department first sentence of Shot over 20 nights in a working Auckland petrol of Anthropology. Barefoot Years, station, Fantail tells the story of a young woman by alumnus called Tania, whose identity as a Māori is very Martin Edmond, important to her. which began, he says, as a "love letter" to his parents that "became a meditation upon childhood experiences that have influenced, not just how I write, but the way I have lived my life thus far". Martin Edmond now lives in Sydney, where he was the recipient of the 2013 Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement for Non- Fiction. This small book is a memoir in which he attempts to re-inhabit the lost domain of childhood. Charting his earliest memories of life near Ohakune, the work is published as one of ALUMNI PROFILE

40 / Ingenio / Spring 2014